


True Colors

by thesourpuss



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bird Qrow Branwen, Blake Belladonna Didn't Leave The White Fang, Blake Belladonna Does The Hugging, Corrupt Characters, Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends, Fluff and Angst, I miss the good ol days, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Volume 3 (RWBY), Protective Qrow Branwen, Protective Sister Yang Xiao Long, RIP Monty Oum, Robbery AU, Ruby Rose (RWBY) Needs a Hug, Ruby Rose Has Secerets, Ruby Rose Joined Torchwick, Sort Of, Trust Issues, Volume 1-3 vibes, We love her, We love him, Weekly Updates, Weiss Schnee Needs a Hug, Weiss Schnee is a snowflake, Weiss Schnee is not weak, White Fang Member Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long Needs a Hug, Yang the thrillseeker, and relationships hehehe, this is how i cope, uncovering secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21639859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesourpuss/pseuds/thesourpuss
Summary: The night Torchwick and his mobsters rob the dust shop, he recruits his new prodigy, Little Red, who secretly want's revenge for her mothers death. Little does she know, her new friend Blake catches onto her real motive and her hot headed older sister Yang is tracking her down. If that wasn't enough trouble, a young huntress from Atlas is hot on their trail as well- a Schnee, who's out to prove the world wrong. Crime and feelings arent a good mix and once all four girls come together they see their true colors as they become determined to stop the fall of Beacon Academy.(Details in Chapter ones notes!)
Relationships: Blake Belladonna & Ruby Rose, Future Relationships - Relationship, Weiss Schnee & Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 17
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter one is Romans point of view, just this chapter, and its introducing the beginning situations for Ruby and what her environment is like. Now, I’m not sure if Adam was working right along side with Cinder and Roman during Volume 1 & 2, but he was there during the fall of Beacon, so I’m assuming he was around. For Blake of course. Third person writing, and each chapter is either Ruby and Blake’s point of view or Yang and Weisses point of view. Enjoy!

"I'm back, sir" Spoke a voice from behind Roman, and he turned to find his favorite chess piece in his game, Little Red.

Her hair, since she joined them, grew out more but whenever she could she’d take a knife to keep it short and now had some uneven groups. Her leggings were covered in holes and her dress skirt outfit had been replaced with a black, tight-fitting short-sleeve turtleneck that went into a skirt with red lining the bottom. Gloves covered her hands, metal elbow pads and matching knee pads covered their respective parts and grey crosses decorated the skirt. Her short-sleeved top let her show off her deep scars, mostly from Emerald, and one went from her cheek down her neck was a gift from Neo. All of it gave her a villainous look, that along with her tore up iconic red hood and some scars here and there from her training and beatings from Mercury or Emerald, she looked outright intimidating. Almost as much as himself.

The perfect look and it looked better on the wanted ads that were starting to show around Vale.

He smiled, relieved to see that she didn’t blow off any of her limbs. Though, he was sure she was to fast for anyone to catch her, and that was his favorite part about her. She did have messy hair, smudges on her face and arms that were also partnered with cuts. Neo, from beside him, threw her elbow into his gut once she saw his smirk and he let out a painful groan. 

"Don't be jealous, dear, you're irreplaceable," Roman mumbled to the duel haired girl before straining his head up to Ruby. "Welcome back Red. Status?”

Ruby sighed but nodded. “One of ours got their leg broken and six were taken down by the robot soldiers. We also didn’t see them until they marched up from below deck but we took them out, er, gracefully”

Roman came to learn that whenever Ruby added ‘gracefully’ or ‘elegantly’, things had blown up. He sighed, rubbing his eyes before looking back to Ruby, who was now shifting with embarrassment but the poker face remained. He gave her a look, and she cringed. 

“It’s not like it got anyone hurt by it! Just the robots”

“Yes yes, I’ve heard it before. So, there were more soldiers on board? Atlas ones?”

She nodded. “They’re prepared for us now sir”

Neo nodded not smiling, not scowling either. Maybe Red had grown on her. Her right hand pulled out her scroll, typing something out then showing it to Ruby, who read it aloud.

"’ Any civilian casualties?’” Ruby tilted her head, confused. “Of course not"

"Shame," Roman shrugged. "Woulda got more news coverage with some deaths- or even if you sunk the ship. I miss the old days, when you used to kill anyone with no regrets" 

"W-well, this way we’re on time and cleaner-"

"Liar, all your kills from before were slip-ups" 

All three of them turned to find Mercury strutting up to them as if he had owned the damn room. Neo rolled her eyes, not knowing who she hated more out of all the teenagers in this place. Ruby shifted feet, regretting opening up to him in the first few months she'd been around. Emerald and Mercury were her age, or so she thought, and latched to them the quickest, only to find that they were as broken as she was. More so even. 

Glaring, Ruby went to kick him and he smoothly dodged, becoming very used to her small attacks. She didn’t bother trying again, she’d only embarrass herself; one on one fighting wasn’t what she was good at, and she left before her father or sister could teach her. Speed and sniping? That's what she felt confident in. 

“They were accidents, yeah, but at least I didn’t get stuck in a wall during a robbery!”

Apparently, Ruby could open closed wounds too. 

Roman and Neo looked back and forth between the two as they fought. Roman realized, not in the current moment but months before, that recruiting teenagers as their right hands was probably a drawback performance-wise. Ruby was right- Mercury did get stuck in a wall, more than once according to Cinder. Having metal legs somehow resulted in getting them stuck when thrown around but Roman couldn’t think of a single job where someone would throw him into a wall. 

After a couple of minutes, the two didn’t show any signs of letting up, and Roman gave a specific look to Neo. She rolled her eyes but nodded all the same. 

Roman left Neo to calm the children down, and went to find Cinder, who was arguably the head of their whole operation. She’d been the one to recruit the White Fang, as reluctant as they were, then found him and his mobsters. Truly, Roman was just renting out some henchmen from one of his ‘work’ acquaintances who ran a club. A dance club. He didn’t need all those henchmen. Sure, he did some laundering, but an info broker who owned a club? 

Roman didn’t like cliches, and he especially didn’t trust them. 

Which was why this team up became so appealing to him. Cinder showing up, saying she had a full proof plan from her mysterious boss. He didn’t care who she was working for, it certainly wasn’t any of the running politics or academy headmasters. They were doing damage to everyone, and for the past two years with Cinder and The White Fang and half that time with Little Red, they were still operating the first phase of their plan. Their long plan. 

He wasn’t in it for world domination but the world destruction.

“Speak of the devil” 

“Ah, such a warm welcome. Good to know you girls can’t stop talking about me” Roman smirked but glared with his eyes at the third teenager he had too many interactions with. Emerald's red orbs held something in them, threatening and almost bored, but it wasn’t her he was concerned with, it was her boss.

Or, again arguably, their boss.

Cinder stood proudly, nodding to Roman. “Took you long enough. Thought I had sent Mercury to get you” Her voice was steady and cold. 

“He decided to get in a fight with Red. Not my fault you haven’t whipped him into shape”

“As if you could whip anyone into shape” Emerald remarked. 

“Little Red is in charge of the heavy lifting operations, isn’t she?” Roman spat back. “Who’s been getting all the Schnee Dust Company loads for the past month, eh?”

“About that,” Cinder interrupted, not caring for their squabbling. “The past year Ruby’s been training, and this month you’ve proven just how much of a fast learner she is. Determined, I like that. We’ve hit the Schnee Dust Company hard, and now it’s time to put on the breaks”

Roman blinked, processing what she said. “Huh?”

“We need to slow down. We’ve attracted too much attention, from the authorities and the Schnee’s. One of them is a Specialist, sitting up in Atlas with its military. Our actions will spark a war, Roman. We need a little time to let it die down”

“You’re scared of a few snooty tooty Schnees?”

Cinders' eyes sharpened. “Don’t underestimate your enemies, Roman” 

He held back the urge to roll his eyes. He felt like a child being scolded by their parents, which Roman hated since one, he didn’t have parents and two, he didn’t want Cinder thinking she was the boss of him (power wise). He also couldn’t see Cinder being concerned about the Schnees- she must have a lot of enemies. Well, she looked like it.

“That family, pfft. They’re too high up on their horse to be paying attention to us, much less getting down to get their hands dirty and fight”

“You try fighting one” 

Roman didn’t bother glancing behind him. Ever since they upped their operation plans and got more White Fang members for extra manpower, the White Fangs leader (or someone) Adam stuck around. Probably to mooch off them, and he didn’t like him around. Acted all high and mighty. Sure, he acted self centered himself, but at least he’s a gentleman about it. Plus, two redheads in charge? Chaos. 

“I’m guessing you have, then?”

“Faced one personally,” Adam approached them. “Burned their disgusting logo onto my face”

Probably deserved it was his response inside his head but bit his tongue, knowing Cinder didn’t want him to fuck this up. Plus, Adam single-handedly took down a fleet of guards the first job he actually participated in. If ‘massacre’ was a good point to have on your resume, he had just about three. 

Roman just nodded and looked to Cinder. “Okay, so we’re slowing down. What goes down until we pick up again?” 

“We lay low. Keep Ruby on a short leash, she’s… hyper. I’m awaiting confirmation, but next we will be going to step two,” Cinder walked past Roman and Adam then stopped and looked back to them, “so keep out talk in mind, Roman”

Roman watched her leave, not glaring until he watched Emerald walk after her. “I swear, Cider’s team is full of lost puppies thinking that this is where they belong. She outta keep them on a short leash” Roman said aloud, not intentionally starting making small talk.

“Says the one with two leeches following him around”

He turned at that. “I’ll have you know that Neo is a full adult, and Little Red is a valuable piece to have on our side. In case it wasn’t clear to you, the reason we are slowing down is because of my little leech” Roman sneered, wanting to make the Faunus's teeth grind with jealousy. 

Adam scoffed. “You’re either keeping her to brag or using her to overcompensate for your failures” he eyed Roman up and down. “I think it's the latter”

“Why you-”

“Adam!” A new girl entered from the side, a mask that all the other animals were wearing on her face and cat ears on her head. A crowd of other Faunus was behind her, some limping and others bleeding. “We ended the mission and, well, now you’re being called by Sienna”

“Well, would ya look at that. I may have a leech, but you have a pussy following you around” 

Before Adam could whack Roman for his slur, Ruby zoomed around the corner in a blur of petals. He internally groaned. Just as he was winning too. 

“Roman, Mercury said Cinder needs you-” Ruby stopped mid sentence, looking beside Roman to Adam. He looked super threatening, and the first time Ruby saw him she decided she’d rather be a trillion miles away from him. He towered over her, making her gulp. 

“Don’t worry Red, I already talked to the hag” 

Ruby nodded in response, taking a respectful step away from Adam and beside the other girl. From the corner of her eye, Ruby noticed the girl looking her up and down, so she took one more step back and put on her neutral face, prompting Adam to scoff...

She was the girl Cinders partner was so proud of? Looking her up and down, he could only see a little girl who wanted a thrill with the bad guys. Torn leggings and messy hair, how cliche. He looked over to his own girl, Blake, who looked perfect in the mask she belonged in. It fitted her so well, and in his opinion, her black crop top that was protected by a fauld (armor that covered her chest and abdomen) then hidden with a sheer black kimono was more elegant and strong all in one. Along with old white torn pants, black boots, and weapons, it all made her who she was. She could kick anyone's ass in her heeled boots with the accompany of Gambol Shroud, her weapon. Her main one, at least, small throwing knives were hidden all over her. For the last touch, she had a black ribbon tied around her bicep- the thing she used to rely on. Her monochrome outfit made Adam drawn to her, and she was the reason he ended up following Cinder in the first place. 

Blake was way above the highest point the small girl would ever reach. 

“I’ll let her know of you’re little nickname there, Roman,” Adam said. 

Roman rolled his eyes. “Cinder has more problems to deal with, namely all the animals” he pointedly looked at Blake. “There's too many around here”

“How professional,” The Faunus girl remarked with a hand on her hip and it was Romans teeth that were grinding. He hated the Faunus, Adam and his kitty cat making it to the top of his list.

“Yes, well little girl, stick around and maybe you’ll learn something about being a grown up, something you gotta be to be a professional”

The three others around him cringed. What was he, a 9 year old? Before anyone else could talk to him, Roman said his goodbyes and left. He passed Mercury, grabbing Neo as he passed and ignored the boy's complaints. He was angry, and with no missions coming up, he needed some classic one on one time with Neo...

...beating someone within an inch of their death. Preferably killing them, but you know, can’t draw any more attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you like this new concept I have. More info about Rubys and Blakes situation will be described in the next chapter when they talk and connect. If you like this, please leave comments or kudos ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the mission, Red and her partner are in the infirmary and she meets some rather friendly Faunus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. The beginning of this chapter is the mission Ruby went on right before the start of the last, and after the time skip (indicated by the ---- text) is her getting fixed up from being shot and after her talk with Roman from last chapter... The Atlas soldiers didn’t use bullets? Just rays of light, as shown in the episodes, so I’m imagining a sort of electric dust being used? (I know they can kill but for the sake of this it’ll be non-lethal dust) So Ruby’s injury is a burn. Also, this chapter is twice as long as the last, I hope you like its length.

Ruby’s face was hard. She glared at the White Faunus member beside her, a brunette with a long ponytail, and nodded. The new delivery of dust crates was delivered an hour ago, her team laying low all the while, and finally got into action when the aircraft flew back into the dark foggy sky. The fog was especially useful this night, it made the robots that were below them confused. That along with the sea’s jerking from beneath them, their performance would be down, but only just slightly. 

That was all she needed. 

The ship was a classic delivery rig, but the first one Ruby’s ever robbed. She had more persons on this mission with her then she was used to, so she was concentrating on where they were on the ship and how to use them once the crew was out of the way. 

“Okay- the last ones are in place. On your mark, Rose” The Faunus stated, her voice low. Ruby gave another nod, not correcting her. She didn’t want anyone using her name- it seemed to personal. 

“They know what the mark is?”

She smirked from beside Ruby. “Everyone does”

The robot soldiers were small in the distance from where she and four Faunus were hidden. On top of other shipping crates, they had a view of the ships whole deck. The others had fanned out, slow and steady, but things were about to get chaotic fast. When she ran in, their getaway airship would be notified and would pick them up in a short 12 minutes, and Ruby secretly wanted to take every robot down before then so they wouldn’t leave anyone behind like all the previous missions. 

The nearest soldier turned its metal head in a 90-degree angle, all of them did, so all she needed to do was count the right number of seconds, then give her signal. 

Blood rushed through her ears as her mental timer hit one. Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose, stood, then fell from the stacked crates and used her semblance to knock three soldiers down. Their tough metal and weight, plus her speed, always sent her to a startling stop, every time breathless. 

She choked for air as the other Faunus bounded to the decks ground level and other robots turned her way. Sitting up, she gasped deep breaths, glad to see her Faunus partner (Ilia she remembered, but again, Ruby didn’t like names) running towards her and covering her from bullet fires. 

“Stand, stand!” She pulled Ruby up by her arm, and she planted her feet next to her.

She patted Ilia, looking around and watched all the others battle. The ship was her biggest fighting area ever, and getting distracted by looking at everyone would get her killed and fast. The robots searched for the weakest hits- which was why the most skilled White Fang members were with her. 

Gripping her scythe, she swung it and dug the tip into the metal floor, aiming and taking down 4 robots before more started to flow out from the giant stairway that leads to the underneath bunker. Her eyes widened in panic. Just as quickly as her starting run, she flashed to them in a burst of petals and shot down as many as she could before speeding back beside Ilia, dodging her allies bullets on the way. 

“There's a lot more than a standard ship crew of thirty!” Ilia nodded but didn’t take her eyes off her weapon as she shot down robots. “We only have eighteen other men!” 

“Then make due!” Ilia yelled over the commotion, and before more small talk, look off running towards some of her cornered teammates.

Ruby sighed. She didn’t want to make due, to many of her own could get hurt. Looking around, bullets were flying and the soldier count wasn’t getting any smaller. She thought back to one of Emeralds suggestions. 

Big, dangerous suggestions. 

If need be, she’d call it another accident. She’d had plenty of those on her first mission, so what would be the harm? Cinder didn’t care, she knew that all she cared about was the shipment. 

Ruby sped off to the far end of the ship, gritting her teeth when she heard someone scream out, knowing robots didn’t scream. She stopped, looked around till her silver eyes landed on a single red crate with the Schnee Dust Company logo on its side. Only, it was high in the air, still on the moving crane, held by a thick cable. Eyeing its location, she wondered where she could drop it to decrease the soldier's numbers. 

Just as she was about to make her move, pain ripped through Ruby’s leg, and she yelled out in surprise. After dropping to her knees, she knew a second one would follow so she turned her body as fast as she could, ultimately dropping to the metal ground to roll over. The robot that has its blaster aimed at her wasn’t far, so with a lunge, she stood and ran it through with the end of her scythe. She shook off its empty corpse, not giving it a second glance. 

In deep honesty, she knew that if the soldiers were actual crew employees, she wouldn’t be able to kill them. That only happened in her rare accidents. 

Her small watch beeped, notifying her they had six minutes left and they hadn’t gotten to the supplies yet. 

Desperately, she ran as fast as she could, climbing back up the way she came and made it to her original hideout spot. From there, she smirked, instantly knowing it would be enough to make the jump, with her semblance of course. 

Ruby ran and jumped off the edge of the crate, not looking down and bursting up to the direction of the crane. The momentum carried her, and as she hit her highest point and started to descend, she turned back and took out Crescent Rose. 

She hooked it's blade onto the crane and (thank gods for her grip gloves) held on as her momentum then transferred to the cran. It groaned, the sound of metal on metal echoing out, and it swung to where she needed it, right above the staircase. With that, she let the scythe swing her up and landed on top of the cranes neck, wasting no time to plant the blade face down and shot at the cable. 

She heard yelling from below as she switched a small bar on the side of her weapon, the bullet chamber switching to another one, and aimed down to the falling crate. 

She squoze.

The blast went off yards under her, but the heat came at her in waves and she felt as it singed the ends of her hair. She was momentarily cared her cap would get signed as well, but quickly remembered she’d recently made it fire, ice, explosion- basically proof of all the elements. 

Ruby retracted Crescent Rose and after hooking to her lower back, then folding her arms in front of her face, she bent her knees so she wouldn’t come flying off of the crane. After a bit, she glanced down, and the blast had made the fog clear and she saw the remains of broken, burnt, and melted remains of robots parts scattered all along the deck. 

Cringing, Ruby looked down at all her members. Her heart stopped the moment she saw the Faunus crouched above multiple others that weren’t moving, and squinting, she saw the puddles of red. 

\--(where chapter one took place)--

“Hey- hey, get off of me” Ruby grumbled to Ilia who was trying to bandage her arm and leg. After Roman had left, Ruby made an attempt to sneak to her shared room, but Ilia caught her and dragged her to a stage room where all the first aid supplies was. It wasn’t any less dull than the other rooms, grey walls with white cabinets and a solid concrete floor. 

A floor, Ruby new, that hurt like hell.

“I’m not leaving until you’re patched up, captain” Ilia mocked. Before leaving for the ship, Roman had ordered the others to call Ruby ‘captain’ which Ruby hated, but didn’t correct. Captain was less personal. “You really saved our asses, you know”

“I also broke someone's leg” She scowled. “Our only gain from that attack was intell that the Schnee Dust Company knows we’re targeting them”

The other gazed to Ruby suspiciously. “That's all you think we gained?” 

“Oh, right, six deaths. I’m sorry if you knew any of them-”

“Around here, that's what happens, and we know that,” Ilia sighed, “We know we will eventually give our lives. Don’t you think that?”

“I think there’s no need to give our life, or anyone else's for that matter. They’re people” Ruby said honestly, too tired to care how open she was being. She won’t judge me in front of my face.

The former eyed her up and down. She never expected Ruby to focus on the greater weighed factors. The bosses were only focused on the dust, but here Ruby was, crushed that some men she never knew or even commanded had died. Not to mention she had tried ignoring her injury to her leg, a burn from the bullets the soldier's fire. They only got lethal when the ones from under the deck came out. 

After treating Ruby’s burn, she handed her some gauze and crutches. 

“I know there's like, a 10% chance you’ll actually stay off your feet, but I heard we’re getting a break, so just take it easy” Ilia smiled. 

Without her mask, Ruby thought she looked almost friendly. Ilias skin was tan and covered in sunspots which Ruby admired. Her White Fang cover clothes had been set aside, and now she wore a grey short-sleeved top and maroon pants. Her heart ached, wanting nothing more than to connect with someone, but she didn’t want to get involved in any friendships if she had a choice. Before she could dwell on the thought for any longer, someone else walked in. Two others, actually. 

One was limping and leaned on the second person and they hadn’t had the time to take their white gear or mask off. Ruby felt ashamed knowing that she had time to talk to Roman and tried sneaking away but got help first.

“Let me help” Ilia walked over, taking the other side of the injured boy whose face was scrunched and his eyes closed. “Why’d it take you forever to get here?” The blond shrugged and stayed silent, making Ilia raise a curious eyebrow, “Wow, Sun, who knew it look a broken ankle to shut you up?”

“Hey, you try having a broken foot, see how social you are” The blond, Sun, snapped right back. They sat him on a cot then the one she didn’t have a name to moved to get other supplies for his ankle. “Don’t regret it though, knocked the robo’s head clean off!”

“It might’ve taken your foot off, doofus!” Ilia scolded, turning and standing next to Ruby, which was all it took for Sun to finally notice her. Taking his mask off, he waved over to her. She looked him up and down, not wanting to judge that he was shirtless, aside the torn white dress shirt, but couldn’t help. She reluctantly waved back as he was handed some pills. He proceeded to swallow them dry and Ruby put her hand down with a disturbed face as he laughed.

“So, what’re ya in for?”

Ruby tilted her head. “Huh?”

Sun gestured around the room, wincing when he accidentally moved his foot. “In here, the pretend infirmary. How’d you get injured?”

“Why do you care, Sun?” Ilia interjected. “It’s not like you care about anyone on Romans side” 

I retract my earlier statement, Ruby thought while looking away, she doesn’t care whether it's in front of my face or not. Honestly, around here, Ruby had also picked up those tendencies and pissed Emerald off one or twelve times this month thanks to it. She of course didn’t like being rude, it just came out. What goes around comes around, she’d excuse herself 

“I just don’t like Roman himself, or the pink girl, or the fire one, or the two kids… but I haven’t met captain before!” He said happily, and Ilia made eye contact with Ruby as she internally groaned. “That’s not your name though, right?”

“No, I’m Red” 

The three, including the silent one with the mask, all looked her way. Ruby flushed on the spot and rubbed her neck. 

“I-its a nickname?”

“Pfft,” Sun scoffed, “More like a pet name- ow!” He was smacked by the third one, then she sat down to wrap his foot. “Blake! Be- ah- gentle!”

The former scoffed, shaking her head, and that made Ruby notice her cat ears. It wasn’t surprising, she was wearing the mask, but the ears intrigued her. No matter how much she loved her old dog Zwei, she had a place in her heart for stray cats. Then, it clicked, and Ruby recognized her to be the girl from earlier who alerted Adam of a call or something. She got embarrassed and looked down again, intimidated by anyone who had personally talked to Adam. Not counting Roman, of course. 

Her chest plate was a deep purple, and a long, white, fitting tail coat covered a kimono that she was wearing. From her angle, Ruby saw one knife strapped to her calf and a few others poking out from inside her boot. 

Respectable.

“Why not give us your name?” Ilia asked while side glancing Sun. “I’m Ilia, that's Sun and the one helping his sorry ass is Blake, but you might know her”

Blake accidentally jerked the gauze tight at Ilia’s statement, and in the background, Sun cried out. 

“Why might she know me?” Blake asked, turning to look at herself and Ilia.

Ilia was the one to scoff. “You’re a topic amongst the White Fang, it might’ve reached Red,” Ilia looked uncomfortable using Ruby’s cover name, but that's what being around here did. It makes you uncomfortable. “You’re not a shadow anymore, Blake” 

Blake shrugged and got back to work on Sun's broken foot. “Wish I was” 

Ilia and Sun shared a concerned look, and Ruby wondered who these three were. Friends? Most of the White Fang members she’d seen only talked to one another because they were on the job. They seemed compatible, though, and even Ilia (despite her insults) seemed to be humored by the other two. 

“That funny to you?” The masked girl-Blake- directed to Ruby, and after saying no, why, Blake nodded her head, “You’re smiling”

Again, Ruby was the center of attention when Ilia looked down and let a smile out herself. Ruby flushed once more and frowned. She didn’t mean to leer with a smile, they just remind her of siblings. 

“You all just remind me of, well, a family dynamic. It's endearing”

“Endearing?” Blake repeated, standing up, “Nothing about being here is endearing”

“No, I know that I’m just thinking… are you guys friends?” 

“Well,” Sun spoke up, “when you’re protected by the same people for years on end, you usually end up being friends, and maybe more” Sun looked suggestively to Blake and she hit him just as she had moments earlier. 

Ilia sighed. “Red here doesn’t have friends, am I right?”

“Wh-what! Of course I h-have friends” Ruby exclaimed and kept the frown on her face, “Emerald just isn’t used to me yet”

“Emerald is your friend?” Ilia asked. 

Ruby shrugged. “She’s the nicest to me, and here, isn’t that just about all you need to qualify as friendly?” 

The three shared a look, and Blake sat down, taking her mask off as she did, and Ruby stared into her golden eyes that looked uneased. Without her mask, Blake sitting there without Adam around, she looked just as kind as Ilia and Sun did. In fact, they even looked her age. 

Blakes eyes looked back to Rubys, making her snap her gaze to the others, but they were both looking at her with just as much concern as Blake. 

“What?”

“You sorta say that like everyone around here is heartless, uh, Red” Sun said, almost hesitating at her name. Ilia nodded, patting Ruby’s back.

“As surprising as it is, there are nice people here. It’s like you were saying earlier, right?” Ilia said, “they’re people”

Sun laughed again and Ilia glared at him. “What?” 

“I’d hardly count Emerald as a person, she’s a- hey, stop!” Sun had started, but Blake pulled his tail. “I’m injured! You’d kick a man while he’s down?”

Blake rolled her eyes and ignored his statement. “Emerald is a person, the only heartless person here is Cinder, I think” Blake then met Ruby’s eyes again as if wanting confirmation. Ruby slouched a bit, wishing she could hide within herself but sighed after a few moments when she found she couldn’t.

“Cinder… she’s my boss, I should know things about her, but all I know is that she’s powerful and she works for someone… she’s cocky most of the time, but underneath cockyness is a coward” Ruby’s straight face made Blake raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t think you thought of your team like that”

She stared mindlessly at her knee pads while responding with a scoff. “I think the strongest of them, personality-wise, would be Mercury. He doesn’t rely on Cinder like Emerald or Roman do. She isn’t even in charge”

“I thought Roman worked for her?” 

“Yeah, he does, but Cinder’s like the manager, someone is sending her orders. Technically, Roman is my boss, but I think if push comes to shove, Cinder’s going to order me to go with her”

“Why's that?” Sun asked. 

“Er, she’s um, been making me train with Emerald and Mercury a lot more lately?” It was more of a question than a statement, and she hoped they took that as a truth. She wasn’t lying, but that also wasn’t completely it. 

Ruby wanted to end up going with Cinder, she knew that's how she’d be able to get to Salem fastest. Yes, Cinders boss, Salem. She didn’t want the three random White Fang members knowing all of it, but the honest boldness in Blakes eyes drew Ruby in. On some level, it reminded her of her sisters crazy boldness. She sat up at the thought of her sister and looked up to Ilia. 

“Can I go?” 

“Oh,” Ilia said, a little shocked at Red’s sudden desire to leave. She looked to Sun and sighed, “Yeah, you can go, but I’m gonna take care of Sun first, can you wait?”

“I can take her,” Blake said, and Ruby cringed as Sun whined.

“You’re going to leave me here, Blake?! I’m injured-”

“You won't die Sun, and besides I’ll see you later when I’m forced to bring you food” Blake shook her head and offered Ruby her arm. Ilia helped her put on her shoes, telling her how to avoid brushing against the bandaged burn, and Ruby got her gloves and held onto Blake. 

“Oh, wait,” Ruby said, stopping Blake before they went through the door. She looked back to Ilia and gave a genuine smile (which apparently surprised people that she could do). “Thank you, back there on the ship, for fighting with me”

Ilia brushed her off with a wave of her hand. “No problem, Red, I help people I respect” 

“Oh, bye captain!” Sun yelled after them when they left, prompting Blake and Ruby to scoff at the same time. 

They walked in silence, with Ruby limping and leaning onto the other for support, mumbling an apology whenever she stumbled. After two flights of stairs and asking others to move, they reached the small room Ruby used to sleep in after putting a ‘janitor cabinet’ sign on it. Ruby giggled at the weird look Blake gave her when she said they finally got to her room.

“I don’t think a warehouse full of mobsters and White Fang fighters are going to go into a closet full of cleaning supplies, and Mercury can’t find his stash since he doesn’t know where my room is”

Blake raised an eyebrow at that. “Stash? Don’t tell me it’s a drug stash-”

“Ah! No! Jeez, come in and you’ll see” Ruby exclaimed while blushing. She fumbled with her gloves as she tried to stand one-footed and find a key in her skirt pocket, and Blake silently took her gloves from her then they got the door open. 

Undoubtedly, the closet was not full of cleaning tools. Instead, inside, it was the total opposite of clean, as if Red had a goal to scare whoever actually came inside. No one in the warehouse had beds, those were on the ships, so there was also what resembled a mattress on the ground among the wrappers and water bottles. There was a single window, the latch broken and a small chair was beneath it. On the chair, there were a few books, which Blake respected, then the room suddenly looked like a school dorm to her. And, looked to a limping Red, she drew together the fact she had elbow pads and knee pads with the dirty room, and thought she might even be her age. 

“This room is-” Blake started, but stopped when Ruby turned and shot her a look, and Blake put her hands up in whatever surrender she needed to calm her glare, “i-its homey was all I was going to say!” 

She scratched her neck nervously until Ruby turned back around. She unhooked her folded up weapon and threw it onto her bed, then went to the standing closet she’d dragged in here the first day she adventured the warehouse and pulled out a bag full of screws and bolts.

“This is Mercury's stash,” She tossed it to Blake and smirked, “as you can see, it’s not drugs, but his parts to replace loose or bent screws”

“This is more evil than what I’d expect from you” She said, but the smile growing on her face told Ruby she was amused. “Why’d you take it?”

“Why!?” Ruby shouted and Blake flinched from her sudden outburst. “He’s the rudest guy in this place!”

“I thought you respected his personality” Blake said, remembering their conversation from the infirmary.

“No, I think it's good that he doesn’t rely on Cinder for everything. Emerald hates Mercury and she doesn’t talk to anyone else as freely as she des with Cinder” 

The Faunus noded as Ruby went and set the gauze Ilia had given her on the chair, then let her gloves join Crescent Rose on the mattress and looked back to Blake. The door was closed, and with how late it was, Ruby didn’t know how to ask Blake to leave. 

“Hey, er, thanks for helping me up here. I know you didn’t need to do that”

Blake shook her head, and Ruby watched her long black hair move along her shoulders and chest plate. “Really, I don’t mind helping out. I also wanted to thank you”

“Thank… me?” 

“Yeah,” she moved from the spot she’s stood in and went up to look out the window, being just tall enough to see out,and she assumed that's the real reason the chair was there. “You lead the mission earlier, and instead of just getting the dust and getting out, you stopped the robots instead. Granted,” Blake chuckled a little, “you did get my friends leg broken”

“Ah!” Ruby blushed shamefully. “I really should’ve yelled something before dropping the crate, I feel so horrible-”

“But you saved a lot of them. It was a small team, and any more robots, things would’ve gotten worse” Blake said honestly, remembering the words of the Faunus whose leg was broken. He’d been cornered, but when the dust crate dropped, it threw the robots (and him) onto another crate and they broke (but also while snapping his tibia bone). “That's thinking like a team leader”

Ruby frowned at that. She remembered the night Roman recruited her, how an academy headmaster had approached her and said she could have a position there if she wanted. She almost accepted, but on her way home, Roman had tracked her and offered her a faster way to what her overall goal was. It didn’t matter to her rage that it was the villainous path, she just needed to find Salem. 

“Thanks, Blake” 

Ruby’s hurt tone made her turn from the window towards her. Her gaze was on the floor, and for the first time, Blake noticed the scar that went down her cheek and disappeared beneath the turtle neckline of her combat dress. Her arms matched, small lines along them, pausing at the elbow pads but they got more frequent along her forearms. Defensive cuts, Blake recognized, and cringed when she imagined the green-haired girl's weapon. 

“You’re good at leading, Red, and the people who died today knew it would come to that” She tried comforting her. 

Ruby sighed, Blake and Ilia sounding way to similar. “Do all White Fang members just know they’re gonna die out there? Is it some kind of motto?” She asked harshly, and Blakes ears flattened. 

When she first saw Red, she’d looked brighter than how she looked now, in her secret room. Her eyes were still wide, not squinted with crudeness like the other humans on her team, and that's why Blake was so interested in her. Her silver eyes still had a hopeful look whenever she was fighting, and when she’d talk to Ilia her friend would describe her as determined. 

So what was that look for?

“We just know the risks of fighting for our cause, and, right now, this is just one step towards it,” Blake repeated Adams words, “we all have to give up things to get change”

Ruby shook her head. “Do we, Blake?”

This time Blake frowned. “It’s how things are, Red, if you wanted it to be different, then you should’ve become a huntress”

Her eyes met Blakes own, and Ruby tried reading Blakes look. Did that mean Blake resented huntresses and huntsman? 

“With a statement like that, it's almost like you even want to be a huntress”

“I might’ve, once, but here I know everyone supports the Faunus and want rights for them,” Blake sounded just as sadly as Ruby had, “it’s easier here”

“It’s how things are” Ruby repeated Blakes earlier statement, and the two held eye contact before Blake laughed softly. 

“Okay okay, I see,” Blake looked around one more time before patting Ruby's arm. “I’ll bring you some breakfast tomorrow, so don’t go anywhere until then, got it?”

Ruby rolled her eyes but smiled shortly. “Okay, but since you have to bring Sun food, I’ll go with you”

“I thought you didn’t have any friends” 

“I don't- it's just, it’ll be better than eating in this mess” Ruby gestured beneath her, and Blake nodded, giving in. 

“See you then, Red”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos the work if you liked it! Yang and maybe Weiss next chapter;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yang and Weiss in this one! Enjoy :) !Drugs mentioned at a few points in this but not use!

_ "Yang, you're the older sister, you gotta let Ruby have turns too" a smooth voice said as it cradled her, warm fingers brushing through her messy hair while Yang cried helplessly.  _

_ "B-but it's my scooter! For me!" Yang complained despite Summers explanation. "Where's  _ her _ scooter?" _

_ "She wants to do big girl things like you. Don't you want her to have fun?" _

_ "She always does this!" _

_ "Baby, she's young and wants to use it because she looks up to you. You make her happy, and you'll need to whenever I can't"  _

_ Her mother pulled away and wiped her tears, giving her a warm smile. As warm as the suns rays that leaked through the windows and as warm as the fire in a winter storm. Yang took some deep breaths, thinking that if that smile was so warm, then she must've been telling the truth. At Yangs small age, and Ruby's even smaller one, she didn't want to share her scooter, but Summers soft words and touches melted the anger away.  _

_ "You can't make her happy? Why? Can't you just make some cookies..?"  _

_ Summer then laughed and hugged her baby, wanting Yang to stay like this forever and never change the curious light in her eyes. "No baby, it just means whenever I'm on a trip you'll need to keep her safe if daddy can't… my little sunny dragon, so brave" _

_ Ruby's laughter erupted from outside, most likely from riding down the wide sidewalk on their now shared scooter, making Yang mimic her mother's smile. She could be brave for her and for Ruby. _

  
  


Her lavender eyes only needed a blur of a second to recognize what was playing on the bright TV screen. She squoze the handle hard, bracing as her bike came to a screeching stop, and looked back just to make sure her mind wasn’t playing tricks. Off came her helmet and grip gloves, then, not bothering to even park bumblebee, she hopped off and ran to the sidewalks gutter before stopping. 

The news broadcasting was showing a video of a Schnee Dust Company ship- one that Yang heard was robbed earlier that same night. That's why she drove 2 hours straight back down here. On it down in the corner was the picture that made her stop, a blurred photo of her little sister's face and the caption ‘suspect finally has a face to the perplexing title- ROSE’. She cringed as the video played, an unfocused photo of a red blur was shown going up onto a crane, then a crate falling, followed by the end of the video. From her own info broker, she knew that there had been deaths and that it was the White Fang group she’d been tracking. 

“Ah,” Yang said aloud, her train of thought reminding her to capture this needed evidence. 

She painfully pulled out her scroll and recorded the new broadcast and kept an eye on the blurry photo they caught of Ruby’s face. A face that now was hard and had a scar. 

Yang's own eyes turned red, the past 6 months of rage that was settled started to boil. She hated how she was hunting down the people who were causing so much havoc and her little sister. She’d learned, almost two months into her adventure, that her missing sister was indeed running with not only the henchmen from her oh-so-favorite club but the White Fang. The White Fang! A well-known activist group gone-rogue. The whole thing was fishy from the very start, and the more witnesses she talked to and the more heists completed, Yang's hunch was only being proven right.

Which was what she feared the most.

She stopped the video, watching her own hands shake as they did so.  _ How could she? _ was Yangs constant thought whenever she’d wake up, go to sleep, or even eat. 6 months was a long time to think about it and go over the facts, then the more Yang tried to justify Ruby’s actions, the more anger she started to feel. She knew her father always told her not take her anger out on something instead of harboring it; so some nights that was what she’d do, whether it be smiled upon by the law or not (underground fighting rings weren’t exactly the public's favorite, she supposed). Apparently, she had gotten so angry, it caught Beacon Academy’s headmaster’s attention. 

Yang groaned and turned back to her bike. The fact some old geezer had the audacity to call her-through her own uncle-and tell her to ‘back down’ was frustrating. He’d been good at giving her in tell, another huntress that worked with him had told her she’d seen Ruby the night she left, but Yang knew his point was to tell her to stop. Every move Yang made since then she felt eyes on her. She couldn’t help but think she was being tailed. She knew little of her mom, but Qrow had said they worked for the headmaster ‘back in the day’, so she was even considering that her mom was stalking her. 

The blond simply shook her head to that thought and slipped her helmet back on over her hair. She knew her mother wouldn’t bother with her, she learned that much the first time she went looking for her. 

Which was another reminder to what her second reason was to drive all the way back. With the solid video of her sister's semblance and a blurred photo of her face, she could go cash in the favor someone owed her. It had been a good amount of time since she’s seen Junior- in person no less, and Yang was internally hoping his club had gone under. Though, as she turned the final corner and saw the lights flashing from its front windows, she was sure all his loans and laundering kept him afloat. 

As she walked in, the familiar spotlight shown on her face. She held her hand up to shield some of it and quickly walked down the steps and over to the bar. Not much had changed in the club- the light fixtures were still bright, the techno music still thumped all around her, and the colors were still black everywhere you looked. Dozens, if not hundreds, of people, were spread throughout the room, and she guessed the people in this city had to either be as gullible as the owner or just as shady. She wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be both. Onlookers gave her glares, and she thought she’d need to change her appearance if she didn’t want to stick out. 

She quickened her pace to the shockingly empty bar and looked down to adjust herself, but a flash of red from the corner of her eye had her looking up. Against the wall, alongside all the clubbers, was one of Juniors bodyguards- Miyan or something to that name- staring her down. With a clenched jaw, Yang turned away not wanting to be called out by her of all people in this place, since she knew fighting her and the lousy henchmen would leave her sore.

Gods, the henchmen. The stupid henchmen and their stupid axes. Unless they knew how to throw them, you’d never be able to hit anyone far away! 

Yang kept grinding her teeth until someone cleared their throat from behind her. 

Turning, she saw the face of the bartender looking down to her suspiciously. How he hadn’t recognized her yet, she didn’t care, but she waved at him nonetheless. 

“You old enough to be here, miss?” He asked, and Yang smiled as she slipped her aviator bomber jacket off to show her complementing black long-sleeved crop top. She watched him glance her up and down and took that time to bundle her rather messy hair into a ponytail using the yellow bandana that had been covering her chest, then rolled her sleeves up to her elbow. She could tell once he caught a glance of her semblance emblem tattoo on her forearm his suspicion dropped from him.

“I for one think I’m too old to be here” She smirked back, urging her anger to the back of her mind, then put on her carefree smile. “I’d ask to leave with ya, but I’m actually looking for the owner. Do you mind pointing me to him?” She added a wink to her persuasion act, but this just made the tender smile and shake his head. 

“He’s up the south steps at his favorite table. Though, if he doesn’t know you’re here, I think his bodyguard might stop you” He shrugged.

“Well, maybe you could do me a favor and call him on your walkie talkie to tell him his blondie is here- oh, and,” Yang placed her coat on the counter, “hold this here for me? Thanks, handsome” 

She didn’t bother waiting for a reply and left towards the steps. As she walked, she pulled on her joggers, bringing them down ever so slightly that her underwear line showed, knowing the more flustered she could make Junior the further she could get with him. Information wise, of course. Then she took her silver pendant out from one of the velcro pockets, wanting her chest to be a focal point in her look, despite it looking like she was in sweatpants (which, sure, they were sweatpants). Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she kept her confident walk, even as she approached the DJ stand and with one look at her, he turned around in a hurry. 

_ I guess I did wreck the place the first time I was here, _ Yang thought, remembering how every time she came the henchmen lining the walls would get antsy.

Up the last flight of bright stairs was her last roadblock, the other side of the coin to Juniors two bodyguards. Another ‘M’ name Yang couldn’t resurrect from her mind. This one was decked down in mostly white- that, alongside her overdone eyeshadow, was the reason Yang's eyes momentarily turned red. 

The former cringed instantly and turned to gesture Yang by. Looking past her, at a dark and comfortable looking booth, sat Junior with three henchmen that were most likely glaring through their glasses. 

Yang put on her smile and strutted up to the booth, Juniors unpleasant face only riling Yangs sadistic side even more. He knew she could grab him by the balls and order whatever she wanted, and that's what Yang loved the most about being here. She watched him drink in her image, giving her time to do just the same. His tacky outfit hasn’t changed over the year she hasn’t visited. Against his seat leaned his weapon, a rocket launcher that turned into a club. Just like the henchmen's axes, it was a bad choice to fight with, but with his cowardly fighting style of letting his men take the hits as he ran worked for him. 

Somewhere in his beard, he frowned, sighed, then finished off his drink before he offered Yang to sit. 

“Thought someone finally taught you a lesson when you stopped showing up, you were never gone long.”

“How flattering! They tried, but of course, I sent them away with a broken nose, and Junior, that's not how you welcome old friends!” Yang said happily as she sat down across from him. He kept his eyes on her as she did so, making Yang smirk. 

“You’re right, its not, but then again I don’t qualify you as one of my friends”

“Shame, I have benefits”

With that, he glared at her and took a long drink from his new glass, thinking. Yang knew it was out of the blue to suddenly show up, but she didn’t care to be courteous. He was a full-grown man that manipulated maybe all of Vale, so she didn’t care to play nice when push came to shove.

She was about to shove him to the ground if he didn’t answer the questions she had.

“The belly piercing is new,” he started, then looked to her head, “and the hairstyle. What? Going through a rebellious phase?” 

Yang let her smile fall off her face and Junior quickly straightened up. 

“No, it’s more of an angry phase. Worse than any other time I've come here, Junior. So, really, if you wanted to get me to calm down, you’d play along” 

Junior, despite his obvious sweat, lazily threw his arm up onto the back of the booth and took a relaxed breath. “You’re right, I haven’t seen you for a while- how about I play along if you sit and join me for the evening?”

“‘Join you’?” Yang repeated suspiciously. “Just because I look pretty doesn’t mean I won’t kick your ass”

“Come on,” he scoffed in return, eyeing her most likely loaded gauntlets, “I mean join me for a drink. What has the great and notorious Yang Xiao Long been up too? Skipping town and popping up all around Vale?”

Yang was the one to glare now. What did he have on her? It wasn’t like him to come out and give a sly threat to her. Time changes people, she supposed, but Junior? His club hasn’t changed an inch, so she doubted it was him keeping tabs on her. Was he assigned to follow her? Was he the invisible eyes she felt watching her? Whoever it was, Junior had to have spent hundreds fixing his club after Yang had demolished it so maybe he really was him following her. The clubs owner might be a coward, but with an ego like his, he was easily offended. The boss being bossed around could start something, but thinking back, he was easy to put down.

After a while, he looked back up to his guest and laughed. “Don’t give me that look, blondie, I only know what you’re up to because you’re looking into my business. Guess you haven’t been gone to long, then”

“I’m getting into your business? How?” Yang asked. She wasn’t sure if she had heard him right, the thumping music slightly deafening, especially in a corner. 

“Multiple ways, really. I’m in everything underground around Vale- no matter how small. I’ve affected every crevasse,” he smiled, as if it was a life accomplishment to cripple people, then slid Yang a drink. “You’ve brushed past some of my money, and, just looking at you, I’d guess drugs”

“Drugs!?” Yang spat, her expression turning sour in an instant. “You really are a bastard for accusing me of that!” 

“Calm down now!” He reacted, not liking the look of her red eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t make drugs, I smuggle them, and after you so proudly junked my club, I figured I’d want all my men to know what you looked like. One of them spotted you and told me, that's all, so I foolishly assumed”

“Your bartender didn’t know who I was”

“He's in charge of drinks, not the heavy lifting parts of my work” Juniors face relaxed when Yang's eyes turned back to lilac, “I assumed since he saw you there that you were, well, taking part in the activities, if you know what I mean”

Yang sighed and finally took a sip of the drink he offered. “I don’t do drugs, but thanks for jumping to conclusions. Where did your guy see me?”

“It was midnight at an old boxing arena. There's betting, and as I’ve said, drugs, so really I just thought-”

“You thought that me, the person who pushes you around to the point you call me ‘sir, is going for the drugs and not the fights?!” 

Junior took a second to process the words. She knew he was gullible, but this was way past what she ever expected. How was he still the boss? If I fought hard enough, this club could be mine, Yang thought, or I could just trick him. But, looking out from the view of the booth, Yang knew she’d never want to own a dance club that was borderline a dump.

“So, what, you’ve been doing fights?”

Yang nodded. In her bikes bag, she had medical gauze and grip gauze, some ointment for whenever the pain made her joints hurt, and some boxing mitts. Some of the better fighting clubs made her wear them, as part of the rules, and by the end of the match they’d come off anyway and she’d be wailing into some poor sucker. 

“What else did you expect I’d be doing in my free time while searching around Vale? There’s not much entertainment, and to be a fighter I have to stick around that city, so I resort to your sites I guess,” she took another sip from she knew was whiskey before elaborating, “also, just because I go to them doesn’t mean I’m one of these club junkies” 

“Low blow! Calling my clients junkies-”

“Look around Junior, I’m sure I could find at least one person doing a line in the bathrooms” Yang looked up to the lookout who stood on Juniors side of the booth and he nodded after a few silent seconds.

“...what’s your point?” 

“My point is, just because I go to those and I’m here tonight doesn’t mean I’m a regular”

Junior looked at her for a long moment, as if to study her, then chuckled. She raised an eyebrow, but he dismissed her by shaking his head. 

“Fine, think what you want. We’re catching up, right? So what’ve you been doing while during the day time of traveling Vale?”

“You don’t need to know everything I do. But, that's why I’m here in this dive after all,” Yang casually insulted, “I’m looking for someone”

“Weren’t you looking for some women the first time you visited?” Junior asked and sat up, “I didn’t know anything about her then, so I doubt I’ll know about this current mystery you’re hunting”

“Doubtful.” Yang shot back. “Believe me, I wouldn’t be here, but my other info broker didn’t know squat, so I came to the last person I wanted to see. Besides, I’ve seen her running with some of your hired henchmen. Can’t deny that, can ya?” She smiled at him as she let a comfortable behavior soak into her posture. 

Before he could deny any help, Yang pulled out her scroll and her own photo of her sister. The photo had been hiding in her bikes sack but she always pulled it out whenever she stayed the night in a city she couldn’t recognize- or  _ could _ recognize, but for all the bad reasons. It had a white line going through the middle, having been creased and folded about a million times, and was even taped back together from the time she got a little too angry. Which, ironically, was the reason she started going to the underground bets. She remembered that she and her dad would fight whenever she needed to blow off steam and how much better she felt afterward. Ruby would be there too, watching them, and eventually begging to join in on the ‘fun’.

Yang didn’t think Ruby would run straight into a fight that was bigger than her. She needed to catch up and protect her, before someone bigger than herself or their father Tai gets to her first.

Junior, after looking at Yang's screenshots of photos and wanted ads, scoffed and leaned back. 

“I remember you wanting to become a huntress, not some bounty hunter. This is what you’ve been ‘searching’ for?” he looked at the worn photo, “A little girl?”

“That's right” Yangs tone was sharp with desperation. She leaned over then swiped to the video she took just an hour earlier, her sister shooting the Atlas soldiers and then causing an explosion that was more than likely deathly. Ruby was a little messy when it came to fighting, even before joining… whatever she was in. 

“I want to know what you can find out about the people she’s working with. I know what the White Fang is, but there’s a video of her getting on a separate ship then them so she’s under other people, or person. She wanted to be a huntress too, I  _ know _ she did, and about half a year ago she just left and joined them. I wanna know why” Yang listed, but Junior seemed to not hear any of it.

After the longest moment of silence that night, Junior exhaled and looked out into his club while mumbling ‘I knew tonight would be one of those nights’.

“What?” Yang questioned, not liking the way his eyebrows pinched together and the look of disappointment. “Is there a problem?”

“Of course not, sweetheart, it seems that those robberies are a popular thing to come to me about” He shook his head then threw back the rest of his last drink, surprising Yang. “She’s over there”

Yang swung her head towards the direction he pointed searching for her sister's red image but finding a white one instead. A young girl sat at the small private bar counter with, as Yang knew well enough, a club soda. So, she was underage but hadn’t been thrown out yet, and she was up on Juniors balcony. So she was a client?

The longer she looked, the quieter the clubs' music got as she tried thinking through where Yang had seen the white-haired girl before. She obviously wasn’t from Vale, sporting a suitcase with the Atlas kingdoms logo on it, her posture seemed foreign in itself as well. Maybe from the fights shes been in? Maybe she even passed her on her bike, having covered a lot of Vales bigger cities chasing her sister's felonies. Her pale skin and light blue eyes had a place in her mind but Yang couldn’t place it, and just as she thought she did, Junior cleared his throat from his seat to get her attention.

“Who’s she?”

“She is the first person to show me this video, along with a lot of other ones. Though, she had the original security tape- not some television recording,” He sighed, “Maybe she has simpler answers for you… who's this girl, anyway?" He pointed to the photo.

Yang looked to Junior, then to her tattoo on her forearm and smiled a warm smile. "She's someone I need to keep safe"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was tasteful, sorry if she seemed a little OC? I don’t mean it that way, it’s just that she’s been traveling for half a year straight and she’s reaching her limit. Till next update <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys volume 7 is so stressful what in the hell

The next morning, as Blake was heading up the stairs to the fake janitor's closet, she was going over talking points in her head. She didn’t want Red to know too much about the White Fang operations, or her own affairs if possible. It was to risky- Red was right under Cinders thumb despite whatever the young girl says. Cinder, with her sharp eyes and sly figure, scared Blake. Sun would call her a scardy cat, and in many ways, she could admit she was, but Cinder seemed to smile as if she knew something no one else did. Which was probably true. 

Adam, from the first time of meeting Cinder, didn’t like her at all. Blake knew he had a very old grudge against humans and huntsmen alike, so joining Cinder was a surprise to all of the related White Fang members. Blake suggested not joining, but he only saw the benefits, however unhappy he was to go along with her plans he still liked the idea of getting back at the Schnee Dust Company.

And, she knew, for good reasons. Vengeance.

Something eventually everyone wanted. Even Ilia wanted to get back at the dust sellers, blaming them for the death of her parents. Blake blamed them too, deep down, for the suffrage of her people. Not just Faunus, other humans as well. She knew all too well that poverty affects all races.

Blake shook her head, focusing on instead Red. Who was she? She seemed to keep Blake, even Ilia who she’s worked with, at arm's length. Further even, and Blake didn’t like that. She had no reason to be so suspicious and like Sun had said the evening she met her, when you defend someone's life so many times, friendship just naturally occurs. Trust. She knows Red said she was friends with Emerald but Blake could sense it wasn’t friendship between them, no matter what Red said. 

Also, just the name bugged Blake, and she could tell it didn’t sit right with Sun or Ilia. Had Ilia never heard her real name? “Red”. It was what Roman introduced her as (other than captain) and she just… stuck with it? Even if Adam had given her a name, she most likely wouldn’t have gone along. 

You wouldn’t leave me, right, my love? Adams voice suddenly intruded her thoughts, making her freeze. He did have a nickname for her. His voice seemed sympathetic at the time, but whenever he’d talk to her like that, a small smile would twitch on his lips. She had felt love from him, but the deeper they got into things, the more Blake felt like Adam targeted her because she was her father's daughter. 

At the thought of her dad, Blake kept walking, wanting to leave her peculiar train of thought behind. She climbed one more flight of plain metal steps before finding the familiar sign on her door which was now strangely cooked. She was injured, wasn’t she? How could that have happened? Blake leaned into the door and listened. Silence, then shuffling and a tired yawn. 

“Red? You awake?” 

“Oh-!” a shout came from the other side, and Blake heard what she could only describe as a metal tool falling to the floor, “Hold on!” A door slid shut, some wrappers crunched, and then Red opened the door and Blakes ears immediately went flat once she saw how disheveled she looked. 

Her hair was flat on one side and sticking up in different places on the other. She still had on her skirt outfit but was void of her knee and elbow pads, hood, and shoes. (notably, warm fuzzy socks had taken their place). Then, on her calf where she indeed was still injured, she had messily rewrapped it like Ilia had asked, which meant she must’ve been up for a little. Apparently, not long enough to look in the mirror. 

“We have your food downstairs,” Blake started, looking past Red and into her room where nothing had changed before giving a small frown, “have you, um, been awake long?”

“Ah, no- I mean, I have since I woke up as soon as the sun’s light reached the window, but I haven’t physically been up for long,” Opening her door wider and looking out into the hall, Red murmured “Mercury isn’t around here, is he?” 

“No, I never see him in this part of the base” 

Red nodded but didn’t smile, just shrugged as she turned back to her room, letting Blake decide if she wanted to come in or not. Blake did, of course, and shut the door in case Red wanted no one to know this was actually a room, before remembering the tilted sign on the outside. 

“So, why’s the sign on the door crooked?” Blake asked, staying in her spot by the door. 

“Oh, is it? Someone was looking for some cleaning supplies, and when I didn’t answer, they just knocked harder and the screw must’ve come loose,” she paused for a moment, looking over her shoulder to Blake then giggled (a noise that honestly shocked Blake), “maybe I ought to keep a mop in here in case someone comes looking again”

She hummed in agreeance, waiting as Red opened the closet just enough to stick her hand in and pull out a hoodie- not her usual red hood, but a yellow zip-up jacket. Red had been decked out in black and red that it was refreshing to see another color on her, and oldy enough it made her eyes pop. 

Huh.

Blake had of course looked at Red before, but suddenly her eyes seemed deeper. She was right- the sun hit her window straight on and lit the room up as if they were actually outside. Reds eyes seemed to take a different stance, and maybe Blake was fooling herself, but instead of grey, they seemed to be shinier, like they were silver… why'd that sound familiar?

Silver eyes. 

“Your eyes…” Blake mumbled, which made Red turn around, “are they grey? Or silver?”

Something inside Ruby dropped. Her eyebrows drew together, suspicious of the girl's judgment. Had Blake not seen them before? They did hold a few conversations last night, but maybe the adrenaline from their mission had stumped her from seeing them clearly. Ruby zipped the golden hoodie up, not caring that her shirt line went above the hoodies, she just wanted warmth. Not a lot of people she met even knew about what Silver Eyes did- she didn't even know herself until someone pointed them out to her.

With another shrug, she nodded. “I mean, that's like asking if yours are yellow or gold,” she tried making a joke, “mine are just grey”

She didn’t want Blake judging her like Cinder had the night she came back with Roman. She’d smiled, bigger than she’d smiled anytime after that- she even laughed. She said that ‘the boss will be pleased’, but after that, the only other person in charge that she met was Adam, the Faunus that directed the White Fang. Ruby knew manipulative alluring people before, namely Raven, but Cinder seemed above them. She hated giving her that credit since, so far, Cinder hasn’t done any elbow work, but it was true.

“They’re pretty” Blake offered, but Ruby limped past her and to her bed (the mattress on the ground). She slipped on some shoes that weren’t her boots, then looked to the ground when she faced Blake. 

“Could you, er, help me again?” 

“Well that’s why I’m here,” Blake replied and offered her arm, and as they went slowly back down the hall and descending the few flights of stairs, they stayed silent, which irked Blake more than the girls silly nickname. So, when they reached the busy-with-foot-traffic ground floor, she attempted at small talk. 

“How badly does your leg hurt?”

Ruby paused their pace momentarily and looked up to Blake, and Blake saw what she thought was borderline anger. 

“You could’ve just said no when I asked you for help down here”

Blake frowned. “Oh, no, that's not what I meant, I was asking if it was painful to step on, even with my help. I’m concerned for a teammate.” Red twitched at the words ‘teammate’ but quickly angled her face away to hide it. 

“Well, its a burn, and my muscles where the shot landed are super sore. Really it's painful all the time, even when I’m not moving it,” Red took a breath before continuing, “but I was just lucky”

“Lucky? You called getting stunned luck?”

“I didn’t break a leg or foot,” Red said, shame was tied in her throat and showed in her tone. “I didn’t die”

Blake took a moment to think, but nodded all the same. Red had a lot of sympathy for the ones who were injured it seemed. Blake assumed any team leader would, but Red didn’t have any attachments- so it finally dawned on her why Ilia said she didn’t have any friends. She didn’t want them because, if she felt that badly about some Faunus she never met, it might crush her to see a friend get hurt. 

This, above being allies with Cinder and ‘friends’ with Emerald, concerned her most. Red fought smart and lived smart, proven by the fact she hid her room with a custodial sign. Anyone smart would know it healthy, if not good, to have friends. Looking at herself, Blake had been friends with Ilia even before the White Fang (although she was apart of it all her life) and her only other friend was Sun then some acquaintances.

Well, no, she did have more friends, they were just back in Menagerie on Adams order. 

“A lot of Faunus didn’t die either, and I heard it was thanks to you. Aren’t you proud of yourself?” Blake attempted lifting the mood.

“Yeah, but they knew we’d be there and that scares me. At least we’re not going on missions for now” Red sighed.

“Mm-hmm. Which means you can rest your leg”

“..we’ll see”

After a few more stumbles they turned the last corner and went into the other warehouse that was connected to the one Ruby was stationed in- the White Fangs half. The building was the same, but the ceiling was opened up thanks to the warehouse being an old pilot storage facility and it was filled with Faunus. Half with their masks on and half with them off but all suited up just in case. Ruby felt like she stuck out like a wolf in a flock of sheep, dressed in what she considered Pajamas. Even Blake was in her gear, no mask, but she was more composed than Ruby was- even on a good day.

Ruby held onto Blake a little tighter and shuffled alongside her a little closer as they walked along the wall. In her sisters hoodie she could usually feel the confidence she’d radiate, but not in that particular moment. Not only was she known as the noobie who got six of their members killed on the last mission, but according to Ilia, Blake was popular too. She mentioned that Blake was talked about in the White Fang, so Ruby wondered while looking said girl up and down, who was she to them?

Then, before she could think about it longer, they turned into a wide hall with a ceiling that was darker than the open space of the warehouse, so Ruby squinted but her footing was thrown off and she stumbled.

“Woah-” 

“Hey there captain!” Sun, who she’d just literally fallen into, said cheekily from above her. He pulled her up gently and held her shoulders sturdily. “Already falling for me, heh?”

Blake whacked his arm while he laughed, absolutely no form of kindness on her face from before as she came up and held Ruby's arm to hold her herself.

“Sun, what are you going on your feet? Or- foot” Blake asked.

“Gosh, you were taking so long, so I figured I’d go get Ilia. At least she wouldn’t be busy,” Sun hunched over a little so he was closer to Ruby’s height, “despite her saying that you don’t have friends, she doesn’t have any other friends either”

Ruby took her turn to roll her eyes at him.

“You say that like I’m friends with you guys”

“Huh? Then, why’re you down here eating breakfast with us, I wonder?” Sun smiled mischievously, taking that moment to swing his tail in front of Ruby’s face to show he held a banana. “I don't mean to be so, ha, mean so early but your hair is so amazingly messed up. What'd you sleep on, the floor?" 

Ruby and Blake looked at each other then back to Sun as Ruby nodded.

"Wait, actually?"

"It's not so much the floor… I have a mattress" She mumbled, giving him a shrug. She leaned some of her weight back onto Blake and lazily moved Suns tail out of the way but snatched the banana, her stomach growling for any food that didn’t come from a wrapper.

They continued down the hall and Ruby quietly asking Blake if her hair really was as disheveled as he said then fixing it with one hand (Blake noticed it didn't change its disheveled state). Sun turning to the room they posed as an infirmary and Ruby guessed he slept there if he couldn't walk. Clearly, by the way he got up, he could walk but he only didn’t because he was bored. 

As much as Ruby regretted it, she was surprised Sun didn’t already have a broken foot before he went on the mission. 

As she sat down with the help of Blake, she noted how Ilia and Sun were on the mission, but Blake? She didn’t remember her going, or even being hurt. Yesterday when Ilia was helping her with her burn, she did have her mask on, so she must’ve been in on the operation, but where? If she wasn’t fighting, the only other place would be in was the pickup airships with the White Fang leader, Adam.

Thinking about the guy made Ruby frown. He was so, so intimidating with his stance and monotone voice. He seemed like he was glaring at everyone from under his mask, and he never smiled. Cinder never gave a genuine smile, but even so, Ruby’s seen it before. So, between being with Sun and Ilia fighting, or on the airship with the leader, she where did she stand?

“How’s the burn, Captain?” Sun asked, pulling Ruby from thought. “Aren’t we lucky to have Blake around to help the crippled?”

“You have a broken foot and all she has is a burn, and I decided to help her,” Blake responded for her, “what does that say?”

Sun smirked. “It says you’re smart; hiding your secret lover from the unknowing boyfriend”

Blake groaned and smacked his arm while his laugh filled the room. Ilia walked in shaking her head, having heard what he said from the hall. The brunette held her own tray of food, but in one of her hands she was clutching a small piece of paper. Before Ruby could get a look at it, Ilia set it down under the tray into the counter.

“Sun, if I were you, I wouldn’t talk so freely. You never know who’s listening” 

“Huh. Who made you wise overnight?” 

Ilia was the next to hit him and that prompted another string of laughter from the blond. Ruby looked to and from all three of them, tuning out their voices as they started their morning greetings. The warm family dynamic from last night washed over her. She looked down to her jacket, wondering if that was why she put it on when Blake arrived. Did they remind her of home? Her eyes locked onto Sun, his smile and hair looking familiar. To familiar. A strange pressure came down on her heart and her eyes watered without another beat. 

Ruby spent every morning lying on her mattress trying to reason with herself. She was there for a reason, she knew someone out there besides herself would back her up on it. Her uncle? Her dad? Yang? Yang… she hoped Yang was doing well, maybe going to school like she wanted. She wanted to follow in their mother's footsteps. Ruby was too, in a sense, but she was so homesick it made her stomach tie in knots after each dream.

“Hey, Red,” Ilia asked when she finally looked down to their new addition, “are you alright?”

Ruby swallowed down the lump in her throat and nodded, quickly looking away from Sun when he turned to see what Ilia meant. 

“I’m sorry,” Ruby mumbled and put her hands over her eyes. She couldn’t cry the moment something reminded her of her home. She spent months building a wall from those emotions because she knew just how sensitive she was. This proved her point, so with several deep breaths she tried rebuilding the cracked wall in her head. Ruby would tear it down the moment her mission was over, she knew that maybe it would tear itself down if she got what she needed done, but time was taking it's toll. A few more muffled words were spoken before Ruby finally let her hands fall back into her lap and her tears were gone but her cheeks were red.

“What did Sun say?” Blake asked when she saw Red come back to the conversation. Ilia was already scolding Sun as he wearily defended himself, but he was too surprised at seeing her sad expression to get Ilia off his back. 

“Nothing, he just reminded me of someone I know- knew” Ruby said and waved her hands in front of her, “really Ilia! It wasn’t him”

Ilia, Blake, and Sun all shared a look (something they did a lot). They knew Red was an off standish person, not even giving them a name, but the sudden expression of emotions was baffling. Blake had sat next to her the moment she saw the tears and put a hand on her back and patted the small girl to reassure her. She hadn’t noticed, yet, so Blake hadn’t stopped. 

“If your leg hurts that badly, I could take you back” Blake said. She hadn’t seen any signs of pain on her face when she’d helped her down and through the warehouse, but apparently she was good at covering her facial expressions (up until a moment ago, at least). 

Red shook her head. “Really, I’m glad you came and helped me. I don’t know what came over me… I’m just tired” 

Ruby really wanted Ilia and Sun’s wide eyes off her. Blake sensed her embarrassment and nodded to Ilia. The brunette perked up as she got up, walking over to the counter and grabbed a tray of food. 

“Here, Red,” Ilia offered her the tray, “I grabbed some food for all of us, oh, that reminds me,” Ilia looked back to Blake with a worried expression. “I overheard a conversation between your boyfriend and Cinder”

Ruby, with the tray of food now in her lap, froze momentarily to listen at the mention of her boss. Cinder never came to this part of the warehouse, she seemingly didn’t want to waste any of her time on the White Fang other than their leader, so she knew she wasn’t over here. Did... Ilia go across both facilities to stalk Cinder? Or- whoever Blakes boyfriend was. 

Blake’s ears lowered. “Lets talk outside,” 

Despite helping Red down the steps and comforting her, she didn’t want her to hear whatever Ilia heard. She was still on Cinder’s side and could rat them out. Trusting and comforting someone were two different things as Sun and Ilia would point out to her. 

The only reason Blake agreed to her friends suggestions of following Adam was because she didn’t like Cinder. Sun thought Adam wasn’t being honest, one day he'd be good to her and the next he'd pay her no mind. Blake always knew that she was on Adams mind, he'd remind her every day, but Sun was a trusted friend so she tried to see his side of things. Tired to see if he was in fact not being honest with the White Fang or with her. Adam put so much on Blake, there was no way he wasn’t being honest with her. But Cinder? Cinder held the answers Blake couldn’t get from Adam. Then, after seeing Red’s hidden room, she knew the girl didn’t have any answers either. She purposefully hid from her group, none of them must tell her much other than orders. To earn trust, you have to give it, which is why Sun’s claim on Adam budged her own.

Ruby watched as Ilia grabbed the paper she'd seen when she first entered then followed Blake out into the hallway with an uncomfortable expression. That was suspicious. Why weren’t they talking in front of Sun? He seemed to be in on.. whatever they were talking about. 

“Damn this broken foot,” Sun said, right on cue.

“Oh,” Ruby responded, looking down to his wrapped foot and sighing, “sorry about that”

“Hey! No, it’s not on you. I kicked a chunk of metal what should I have expected?” Sun laughed. Ilias reprimanding must’ve gotten through to him. “Live n’ learn, right?”

Red nodded, then perked up at the opportunity with Blake out of the room. 

“Hey, so, you were on last night's job, and Ilia was with me, but, where was Blake?” 

Sun scoffed, his smile dropping ever so slightly. “She was on the ship with Adam. God, if she was out there fighting, that’d be amazing. He never lets her fight. Can’t blame her though,” his joking demeanor came back, “I’d hide my side chick too if I had a possessive partner”

Partner… Sun visibly saw the gears in her head turn before she gasped.

“Adam? That's who she’s dating?!” 

“Shhh!” Sun gestured to the doorway with his hands, “she might hear! But, yeah, how'd you not know?”

“I just met you guys...and, well, Adams scary”

The boy stared at her blankly for a few moments. Red, the girl all his fellow White Fang members would talk about after missions- the Captain of the last insane mission he went on, was scared of Adam? Shit, honestly, the man was terrifying whenever he unsheathed his sword, but for her to be scared? He laughed again, unable to hold back. 

“Why’s that funny!” 

“Its just, you’re Red, the leader who causing mass explosions! You don’t need to be scared of him when all you need to do is use your flower power to get away from him”

“Don’t call it flower power, I sound like a kid”

Sun eyed her up and down. “Hm. Pouty face, knee pads, a bright sweatshirt- can’t hide the truth, Captain”

Huffing, she glared at his remark. “I don’t even have my knee pads on”

Ruby then looked at him and saw his genuine smile again. She felt her shoulders and face relax, something she’d tried to be doing all morning since she woke up to a throbbing leg. The warm feeling filled her again, the image of her sisters smile flashing in her head, but her heart was calm this time around. Her throat didn’t close and her eyes didn’t fog up. Sun raised his eyebrows, breaking her from her trance and she shook her head to free the thoughts. She refocused down to her breakfast and took a bite out of the (stale) egg sandwich.

Sun hummed at her reaction, his tail lifting from the cot in interest. Maybe she is a kid, Sun thought. She was shorter than the other girls but her cheek scar showed she’s been through it. 

The moment of silence prompted the awkwardness to rest in the air again. Sun was good with smooth talking girls, but when they cried, his brain seemed to stop dead in its tracks and his tail would ruffle in alarm. The sudden emotion that poured from her; Sun only experienced that when he left and his mom cried for a few days straight. Straight. That was a lot of tears for a young Sun.

“Speaking of power,” Sun slid his eyes back to Red who ate quietly, “where's the hood?”

“Hm?” Ruby asked with a mouth full of food.

“The red hood you always were- I bet Ilia you slept in it,” he joked, “though, yellows a good color on you, really”

Ruby swallowed and smiled at the boy for the first time that morning even though she still felt like crying. 

“This is the only other thing I own, besides socks and, er, one pair of pants”

“It looks old, did you bring it with you?”

“I meant to grab my own jacket, but I was making a quick escape when I left and accidently grabbed my sisters” 

Sun raised his eyebrows again, not really guessing he’d get that far. The nameless girl who sat in front of him took another bite from the sandwich, his own food gone, so he looked her up and down again. The messy hair, now reddened cheeks, and fuzzy socks- his theory of her being his age seemed to be proven.

"Is… that why you got all, ah, sad?" 

Ruby appreciated his soft tone but it was, at the same time, the first amount of sympathy she's gotten while being here. Again, this was the most social she's been outside of training, it was weird getting back in the swing of conversations. 

"Mhm. I’ve never really worn this jacket outside of my room yet, but for some reason, it just called to me today" 

Sun nodded. "I get that, I miss my home too, but luckily when the White Fang came down for recruitment, I met Blake and bossypants out there" 

Ruby laughed at that, but before she could mention hot her sister was a hothead too, Blake made a rather noisy entrance, angry almost.

And when she looked at her face she could see why.

Blake stared Red down, the girl she helped out of bed and down to eat with them. Her friends. Family. How could she? How could Red not tell them?

“Red- whoever you are, why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Blake asked sharply, and when Red just tilted her head in confusion, Blake’s hand moved to where her knife was strapped on her hip. Ilia grabbed her arm as Red stood in alert from Blakes tone (Sun would’ve stood too but he was down a foot). She put all her weight on her good leg, not sure what got Blake so mad, but if she wanted to take her knife out, Ruby was willing to leave out a window. She and Sun shared a quick confused look, but neither of them knew why Balke was so… upset.

“Blake! I just said I never heard her name mentioned-”

“That doesn't mean she doesn't know!” Blake yelled, her ears pointed in anger. Sun tried standing but fell back down when pain pierced his foot. 

“Don’t be so mad!” Ilia held Blakes hand firmly and used her foot to shut the door in case any bypassers heard, “Red isn’t Cinder or Tourchwick! Ask her instead of going off the handle”

“Ask me what?” Ruby asked, becoming more confused by the second, and Blake saw the way her face went back to its normal emotionless mask. 

Blake ripped her arm out of Ilias grasp but left the knife where it was. “Ilia heard a conversation between your bosses. We were told we were taking a break, but low and behold, the shifty woman has plans of her own! Something about an academy?” 

Blake and Ruby held eye contact while the grey-eyed girl searched her brain. What did Cinder say? Ruby was only ever told information through Emerald, so she never truly got onto the level of trust Mercury or her were on with Cinder. But, then again, that wasn’t Ruby’s goal in the first place. She didn’t want to trust Cinder and she was sure Cinder probably saw through her. Ilia heard something about an Academy? 

Why’d they want to do anything at a school?

As Ruby’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, she looked to Ilia who had just as a serious glare as Blake. Though, as they held eye contact, it only seemed to make her fill with guilt and her spots turned a dark pink. Slowly, she reached and grasped Blakes shoulder gently.

“Blake, really, she doesn’t know what you’re talking about. Gods,” Ilia walked beside Blake, “Red’s probably younger than us”

All three Faunus looked at Ruby, and the mention of the mission leader being younger than herself made Blakes stomach drop. She’d been suspecting it, whether consciously or not, and Ilia saying it aloud made the puzzle piece fit. Red’s eyes shone like they did in her room, making Blake’s ears and face lose its tightness. Her thoughts came back to her, and how Red hid away by herself that all she must’ve been given was orders. Besides, from what she heard from Adam, Red was Tourchwicks ‘golden retriever’. A trained dog.

Would a trained dog cry out of the blue?

Blake sighed and looked grimily back to Red. Ilia was right, from what she was told, she didn’t think the girl would be able to look them in the eyes knowing what horrible plan Cinder had.

“I’m sorry. It’s just, we don’t know you. We only know the you that leads the missions, and with Cinders sudden... suspicious conversation, I snapped,” she started, taking a step back from her, “you... are younger than us, aren’t you?”

Ruby felt all their eyes on her. The second day and they’ve already seen something in her Emerald or even Roman didn’t. She nodded, even without knowing how old they were, she could tell by Sun’s tall frame, Blake boldness, then Ilia’s parental scoldings she’d give Sun and other White Fang members they were older than herself.

“Red, your boss isn’t what you think she is,” as Ilia spoke, Blake took note of the way Red didn’t even flinch, “and we’ve been, well, keeping tabs on her so to speak-”

“Yesterday, you said underneath it all Cinder is a coward,” Blake said gently, and stepped closer to her once more, “and I think you see what we see. I want to trust you, they do too,” she gestured to Sun who was silently listening and Ilia who was still embarrassed, “its good to have people on your side”

Sun finally stood and took a limping step beside Blake, “Those people are called friends. It helps to have people you trust along the way. A win-win, y’know?”

Ruby looked from Suns eyes to Ilia’s as she nodded, then finally stared into Blakes. Blakes apology, it held the same hurt that she’d occasionally heard in her dad’s voice and her heart was pulsating all over again with want. Whatever she had yelled about she did so because she felt threatened… something Ruby could understand. She was talking about Cinder after all, the woman that attacked the dust shop with Roman so many months ago.

The woman a headmaster had instructed Ruby to be cautious about when he asked her to come to Beacon.

The woman who would, with an unflinching smile, admire her silver eyes.

The woman who worked for her.

Ruby took in a deep breath after taking a moment to process what Blake, Sun, and Ilia were asking. They wanted Ruby on their side. And, just as much, Ruby wanted them. Something she hasn’t had since she left. With new spurred confidence, Ruby nodded.

“You’re right Sun… my name’s Ruby, Ruby Rose, I’m fifteen, and, um, I think I haven’t had a single friend the whole time I’ve been here”

Blake smiled, relieved to finally have a name to match her with. Something seemed to fit just right and the nickname Red melted right off her. Ruby Rose, Blake repeated in her head, her doubts about her being under Cinder’s thumb leaving in an instant.

“We’re glad to be the first few, Ruby”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop Ruby's cracking hehehe. Maybe we can see if Emerald can crack too :)? Till next week <3 I'm all for constructive criticism, please leave any mistakes you spotted.


	5. update!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read with understanding!

_Hello everyone! I doubt anyone has been keeping up with my AU book, but here I am with an announcement that is overdue. Thanks to my classes and my job, I took a few weeks off. When March came rolling around, I was given a challenge in my Writing class. Write a novel in a month! Maybe some of you are familiar with it! It was tons of fun, lowkey stressful too. Covid-19 put all my classes online though, and my free time has been really eaten up by that unfortunately. On top of that, my work gave me more hours because we had multiple of our younger employee's quit. I know I should've posted something sooner, but I didn't know it would take this long to get back to my favorite girls!_

_I don't want to write my absence off on excuses, but I post this in hope you guys understand! I love everyone on this website! I hope everyone is doing better than I am in this struggling time._

_Till next time, <3_


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang meets Weiss. You could guess the rest.

No matter how many times she went over her actions in her head, she knows she’s done everything correctly. Her determination was ablaze, her evidence was solid, and her distractions were put away but despite all this her time was wasted. She didn’t want to call her sister in defeat. She didn’t want to walk out of the bar empty handed and let her personal officer take her back the way they came. 

This was her job and Weiss would be  _ damned _ if she had to go back home, if she had to go perform another recital, if she had to see another disappointed face. 

When her forehead started to cramp from her scowl, Weiss took a moment to clear her mind and to sip her drink. She’d gotten thus far in just four months all by herself and the idea of turning back now made Weiss want to cry. Mr.Xiong’s (or, Junior, as he insisted to be called) turning her down made her want to cry. Weiss still had her self respect, that hadn’t been beaten down by her failures yet, so she wasn’t going back. The White Fang was doing something suspicious with all the dust crates they’ve robbed, like they are stocking up for something, and Weiss was going to know what it was if it was the last thing she’ll do. 

Well, the last thing she wasn’t to do is laugh in her father's face, but she needed to solve her problem.

The problem being, of course, that Junior was almost as brainless as… Weiss didn’t even know anyone as oblivious as him.

When she originally walked in, it took twenty minutes to actually find who she needed to talk to. Between the music, the people, and the horribly dressed staff, she couldn’t even find the bathroom. Of course, when she had, she found people in there doing some… questionable things. Then, the moment she asked Junior if he knew  _ anything _ about the heists, it took a total of 5 minutes to be turned away. He stared, he laughed, then he drank. He resemble her father so much it was disturbing, and it must’ve shown where he offered her a seat at his personal bar.

Was it too much for her to think that the boss of all the hired men would know what's going on? Apparently he had been too busy with his own cartell to really get a piece of action with the White Fangs operation.  _ At this rate, neither will I _ , Weiss thought as she took another slow sip of her soda. She did appreciate his hospitality, something that was hard to find outside of Atlas in her opinion. 

Atlas.

It hadn’t snowed all four months she was here, the first record she’s kept that didn’t relate to singing, sword practicing, or scolding her brother. She was happy to be able to go on a walk now since there was no chance of her nose turning red or her toes going numb. She hated the snow. She hated thinking of the home in which she suffered whenever she woke up to find a cold morning and at every dead end. She hated that the first thing she thought of when she thought of her father was his cold stare and closed office door. She hated the wine bottles and the white statues. She hated it all, but getting away from it finally was, in a sense, opening her eyes. Healing her scars.

Weiss blinked. She instantly could tell where her mind was heading, and so did her arm. Her hand that held her soda started to shake ever so slightly which had her silently wishing she hadn’t ditched her bodyguard. 

After a few long, calm breaths, the lone bartender spoke. “That not good?” 

“Hm?” Weiss asked. Looking up to the only remotely well dressed person in the whole club. 

He nodded to her drink, “You’ve been staring at it like it insulted you. We have other flavors, you know”

“Get me something harder, please. That’s all” 

He looked her up and down. “I’ll just whip you up a Club Classic, miss”

Weiss hated her young appearance. When Winter was seventeen, she passed as a twenty one year old every time, but Weis still looked 14. She needed to wear heels to look even close to an adult. If it hadn’t been for her escort, the hotel check in employee would’ve called the authorities. 

Was all of Vale this judgemental?

_ On second thought, I have no room to talk _ , Weisss thought.

“Here you are, miss-”

“Make it two, will ya?” 

Weiss looked to the second voice, finding a young girl just about her age with the most vibrant blond hair she’s ever seen. Lilac eyes stared into her own pale ones and Weiss justy about choked on the air. The girls outfit was a complete opposite of her own, her stomach on display and her chest only covered halfway. Yellow hair pulled into a messy ponytail vs Weisses own neatly done ponytail. Boots, a bandana, and  _ cargo pants _ were opposite to her strapless, thigh length dress. Her black crop top vs Weisses lace dress. Weiss also had a tight fitting women's blazer, the cuffs coming to her wrists and the flaps ending around her hip. The skirt and short blazer made the illusion of Weiss being taller, then with her heels, she was about 5’5. Weiss, in her formal wear, wouldn’t normally wear a blazer, but Winter suggested her look more like a business woman instead of someone from Atlas.

Though, Weiss figured out once she bought multiple blazers, is anyone knew anything about the Schnee Dust Company, she’d be recognized.

“Looks like Junior turned you down too,” the bartender said to the new arrival as he started pouring liquids, “sorry my boss couldn’t be very helpful.”

“You can make it up to me by giving my Club Classic two shots of vodka, handsome,” the blond replied with a smooth smile and a quick glance, “Oh, and one of those little umbrellas! Er, please.”

Weiss looked at her in question while she took the stool next to her, as if she had been invited over. When she caught her eyes again, they stared at one another until their drinks were set down. Weiss stared in confusion while the new girl stared at her like she knew everything she was thinking.

“Um… I’m…” Was all Weiss managed to get out before the girl sighed.

“You’re not from around here are ya, snowflake,” she smiled, giving Weiss a nickname. Weiss felt her voice shine a light through her mind, like something was finally cleared, and all the self pity from before dissipated instantly. “Around here, the greetings aren’t just ‘um’”

The Atlesian sucked in a breath and felt her face turn pink.

“I-I know that, dolt!” she defended as the blond took a sip of her drink, “I’m just… confused”

The stranger rolled her eyes and sarcastically stated “You don’t say.” There were a few beats of silence before Weiss started again.

“...so?”

She tilted her head. “Sooooo..?”

Weiss huffed and looked away when the other looked up. “I swear, being in Vale is like being on another planet”

The blond just laughed at Weisses insult, and, just as easily, Weiss let her. The warm laugh was like having Winter next to her, so Weiss took a sip of her new drink (which was admittingly much better than the last bubbling drink she had). 

Whoever the new girl was, she was glad for some company, despite the teasing. Weiss felt incredibly stupid for coming to this wretched club. She wasn’t even the dumb one in this situration. Mr.Xio-  _ Junior _ was the fool. Finally, besides the bartender, Weiss felt at ease with another person talking to her.

“You’re correct, I’m not from around here. I’m Weiss, and you?”

The blond nodded and put down her drink to fully face her, “The name’s Yang, Yang Xiao Long. I’m from all around here”

“What does that mean?” 

The girl, Yang, shrugged. “Means I know the city. And, specifically, what crime goes down.”

Weiss froze, then took another moment to look Yang up and down. 

She’d thought Yang was near her age, but on her left forearm was a tattoo of an abstract burning heart or symbol. Further down her body, she saw a glittering diamond on her belly button. A piercing? And on such a revealing part of her body? It was… different. Weiss had barely been allowed to pierce her ears, piercing her stomach was the last thing she’d think about doing to make her father mad. The more Weiss stared the more confused she became and the older Yang became to look. 

“Are you admitting you take part in criminal activities?” 

“Eh, well, I think it’s illegal to sleep on the sidewalks and park your bike after hours, so, I guess you could label me a criminal.” 

The bartender cleared his voice in an obvious way and gave Yang a raised-eyebrow look, like they knew something Weiss didn’t, to which Yang laughed nervously too. 

“And what does  _ that _ mean?” Weiss asked.

“I, haha, might’ve broken a few things in this club as well…”

Weiss looked around, imagining anything in this place being broken by a random maybe-teenage girl. There were guards everywhere...looking straight at them... The men lining the stairs. The men lining the wall. Even the weird bear head DJ. They all seemed to be watching their every move. Weiss subconsciously crossed her legs and pulled of the flaps of her blazer, even though they were most likely watching the other girl.

“They’re all watching us, aren’t they?” Said blond asked.

“Indeed they are. Why, again? Cause you ‘broke’ some things?” 

“Basically, lets just say, I’m on their ‘watch list’ or something with a ridiculous title. I kinda made their boss look like my bitch” Yang snickered. 

Weiss shook her head as a small smile grew on her lips, “Your rep sheet mustn’t look to good, Ms.Xiao Long”

Yang scoffed. “Please, just call me Yang, don’t talk to me like I’m a teacher or something,”Weiss watches as Yang turned back to her drink, her smile faltering ever so slightly. 

Yang’s rep sheet  _ wasn’t _ good, and by the looks of it and with Juniors suggestion to talk to her, a stranger from Atlas, Weiss could pull it up if she wanted. Yang took a few gulps of her drink, stopping with disappointment when she found it was gone. She felt a weight in her chest, buzzed from whatever Junior had given her and now the drink from the bar. Yang could handle alcohol- it wasn’t something she was proud of but it was a useful skill since most guys thought girls were light weights.

When Yang looked back, she found Weiss looking at her with curiosity writing all over her faces expression. Her face was calm, no judgment seemily going on in her small head, but instead Yang thought Weiss was reading her. Not everyone saw through Yang, and she doubts Weiss was really giving as much thought into her as she was assuming, but the thought made Yang turn her gaze back to the ice cubes that filled her now empty glass. 

She came over to get answers, but the moment she saw into Weisses eyes she felt like she was looking down at a lost kid. She wanted to lean into a small amount of trust. Almost felt guilty to just come up and demand someone information. Though, Weiss had shown to be more a confused kid instead of a lost one. 

“Alright, Yang,” Weiss spoke when Yang didn’t look back up, “Can I do something for you and your crime-stricken city?”

Yang chuckled. “Sort of. Seeing as you’re up here, you’re a client, huh?”

Weiss nodded, the feeling of helplessness creeping back onto her. 

“I’m Juniors buddy-” Yang used that word lightly- “and maybe I could help you out?”

The Atlesian raised an eyebrow. “You’re an owner?”

Yang laughed, slapping the counter top, “Absolutely not! This is three strippers away from being a crack den! All I’m saying is, Junior stays here all day everyday, but I’ve been up and down Vale for a couple months now and know a thing or two”

“I…” Weiss sighed. 

She takes back some of what she was thinking earlier. She wouldn’t mind helping, but Weiss has learned to not trust the first person who shows kindness. But Yangs smile was contagious and it pulled at Weiss in ways she hasn’t felt. 

“Okay,” Yang nodded. She pulled out her scroll and a piece of paper, sliding them both over to Weiss, “this is basically it: I need some help. I’ve been going with the flow for a little too long now, that’s why I’m here really,” Weiss listened intently as soon as Yangs tone turned serious and watched as she unfolded the slip of paper, “Junior couldn’t help me. I don’t think he could help you either, so... I’m hoping we could help each other”

Yang finally laid the paper down on the counter to show a young girl, red tinted dark hair framing her face and grey eyes. Her outfit contrasted the warm weather in the picture, long black sleeves and black leggings. The girls smile reached her eyes, and once Weiss finally realized who she was looking at, she thinks that was why it took her so long. 

“Where did you get this?!” Weiss exclaimed, shocking the bartender from where he was silently standing. 

“You recognize her, then?” The blond asked in desperation.

“Of course I do! This girl has been leading the bandits I’ve been tasked to chase down.”

“So, you know what’s going on? Everything?”

“The Schnee Dust shops are being targeted in one concentrated area of Vale, and as much as the military wants to step in, one of the headmasters insisted it was under control. Under control? Just earlier tonight I was informed their dust brig was robbed, and quite brutally at that! It’s pretty much just me that's trying to find out what they have planned”

Yang leaned in closer. “You’re going after them? You’re like.. A kid”

“Aren’t  _ you _ a kid too?” Weiss glared, “How old are you?”

Yang eyed the bartender and mumbled “Seventeen”

“I’m seventeen,  _ graduated, and  _ hunting criminals,” Weiss scoffed easily, “are you going after them as well then?”

“You say hunting like I’m out to kill them, snowflake,” Yang saw Weiss tense at the nickname, as if she realized she insulted a close friend, “I’m just trying to stop her” she tapped her photograph of Ruby.

Weiss looked back to the photo. She was the one leading the attacks on dust shops all around Vale, the girl she was most curious about. She didn’t want to be sexist, but one girl wasn’t leading the White Fang retaliations. By the security photos and videos she had on her laptop, Weiss had determined the bandit, who the media had named Rose because of the rose petals left behind, to be pretty young. Weiss first guessed at most twenty, but seeing the photo of her up close, she must’ve been seventeen like them. Rose was good at fighting- taking down a lot of Atlesian soldiers but just the stance and fighting style of her, Weiss could see she was inexperienced. Weiss couldn’t say she herself was good at fighting, but she knew how to handle her weapon perfectly.

Seven consecutive years of rapier sword training since she was ten really helped.

“So am I. She’s named Rose, but, you have this photo of her… do you know her real name?” Weiss asked.

Yang pressed her lips together and didn’t give a response. Weiss looked like she was ready to make an arrest the moment she could, and she probably would if this was her job. Yang didn’t know what would happen to Ruby if she did in fact get arrested by an Atlesian huntress. She was all for letting her little sister face the consequences of her crimes but she also know how uptight the military could be up south. 

Weiss continued when Yang stayed silent and a scared look dulled her lilac eyes. 

“I had ordered that all mass Schnee Dust shipments be defended with twice as many soldiers and that just ended up causing bigger explosions apparently. Luckily, I have access to the security cameras on all Schnee Dust Company sites which puts her, Rose, at almost all robberies. She’s leading them, but, I think she’s a pawn”

“I think the same thing. The White Fang? They used to be a peaceful activist group but in the past few years they’ve just gone off the rails. I can’t stand how they’ve resorted to this, and how it's practically all of Remnant who forced them to!” Yang ranted she could feel her anger starting to shift into her arms and hands. The itch was setting in, but this was the first lead she’s found in weeks. Yang took a deep breath before apologizing

“Sorry, I don’t want to get into the White Fang’s status right now”

“Good decision since I think our views on their actions are definitely not the same. They’re a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers”

Yang’s eyes went wide at how blunt Weiss was and how openly she said it. Yang wanted to snap back, saying how they used to be peaceful and how they only wanted justice for their rights, but then she remembered some words from her uncle.

_ ‘Anyone from Atlas either has a stick up their ass or they’re sellouts, Yang, I swear on my life they can’t take no for a damn answer’ _

Of course, he was drunk and rambling about his coworker so she didn’t really listen, but he knew more about the different kingdoms than she did. What he was trying to say was that, maybe, they were hard to reason with. Weiss didn’t even flinch when she said those words, she almost said them as if off a script. Sure, she said them, but were they really her words?

“I think you’d fight back too if everyone misunderstood you, Weiss.” 

Weisses eyes snapped to hers the moment she was done talking.

“I’ve fought like  _ hell _ to get where I am. I’ve been crippled at the hands of my father! You don’t need to preach to me about being misunderstood,” Weiss tried to stay calm, but it seemed like a flood gate opened, “I’ve defined all odds that were set up against me by my own family. I’ve earned the right to hunt down something that’s given me a rough life, don’t you think?”

The other girl was speechless, opening and closing her mouth like her brother did the day she left. Weiss then blushed hard and looked back to her drink. She didn’t mean to snap at Yang but she didn’t like being told her feelings were invalid. She unconsciously lifted a hand to her left eye and rubbed her cheek where her scar ended, something she’d do when embarrassed. Winter was counting on her to find connections and allies down in Vale, but Weiss hardly kept her emotions in check. 

If Weiss wasn’t so desperate for a break in the case, she’d leave. Apparently her and Yang needed each other, and Weiss wasn’t going to go home without stopping the White Fang and whoever was really controlling Rose. 

“Didn’t know huntresses got to work on cases that were so personal, my bad snowflake.” Yang apologized, scratching her neck nervously.

Weiss took in a deep breath and took a quick from her almost-empty glass, “D-don’t apologize, I need to be more professional. The White Fang are criminals, Yang,” Weiss got back onto topic without another beat and pulled out her laptop then a scroll cord, “and so is Rose. If you’re cool with it, we can trade what we know?”

Yang laughed nervously, making Weiss raise an eyebrow.

“You.. do have information, don’t you? Haven’t you ever done any business trades, like, ever?”

“Don’t blame me!” Yang cried out and pointed to Juniors booth, “I had good information, but he had squat!”

“Then what exactly would I be gaining from giving you Schnee Dust Company records? And all my files?” 

Yang waved her hands in dismissal, “You don’t need to send that stuff to me, I have a better idea! Let's team up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think of Weiss! ALSO please comment and excuse any random holes in this chapter, I rewrote it a few times and it kinda blurred in my head.  
> Love you all <3


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Encouraging words and scheming!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to remind you guys that these chapters switch from Ruby's side and Yang's side of this story! That should be pretty obvious by now though :)  
> Also, when the three refer to Blake as/being leader, they mean that in the sense of leading the White Fang, while Ruby, they mean it since she was/is leader of the robberies.

Operation ‘break the glass’ is a go between the quartet of bandits. Ruby wasn’t too glad to finally hear about Blake, Illia, and Sun practically stalking Cinder. Though, given her own intentions, she couldn’t blame them either. In fact, when they were done explaining how far they were going to find out about her real plans, she felt embarrassed how she hadn’t _really_ seen it. She’d known close to nothing about Cinder when she joined. She knew her to have a semblance that put her above so many others in her line of work. She knew that Cinder knew people who influenced all of Remnant, an idea that had made Ruby from half a year ago shake. Then, of course, she knew Cinder was the beeline she needed to take to the witch.

The second thing Ruby was surprised about was that they didn’t know about Cinders real boss. They’d been keeping a close eye on Cinder, even Roman, but they knew nothing about who was sending her orders since Cinder was so…dominant. 

Cinder seemed like the one who was taking action and enforcing the next steps. 

The next steps were bigger than the last, apparently. Ruby did hear small parts from Roman and Emerald- but Ruby couldn’t really put it onto one final picture. She was never good at solving puzzles without her sisters help. 

They’d gone to the warehouse rooftop to talk- when Blake asked Ruby if she knew anywhere private, initially the four went to her room but then Sun got the bright idea to go right out the window. Ilia had screamed, of course thinking the troublesome Faunus had fallen to his death, but when they all stood on her small chair to look down, he flipped himself up onto the roof. 

“I swear,” Ilia started to scold when they pulled themselves up (and helped Ruby, her burn still painful), “you do that again- without warning- I’ll push you so you really do go splat like a banana”

“Somewhere in that threat there’s your concern for me.” Sun remarked happily.

She glared at him but didn’t deny it which had Blake smiling and Ruby smirking. 

“Okay, now that we’re up here, we can lay down the facts.” 

Ruby nodded, “You guys have been suspicious of her this whole time, right?”

“Basically,” Ilia answered, “we could just tell she wasn’t telling Adam the whole truth. She’d skip over the little details… like how she got Roman’s resources in the first place.” 

“Was it also because she isn’t a Faunus?”

Sun scoffed, “She is barely human either. You look at her and, just, she feels heartless, you know? Her and those two who follow her around… they look at us like they’re better than us” 

“As _if_ that’s uncommon for us, Sun,” Ilia sighed.

That was the first time Ruby heard Sun’s dark voice. He almost sounded hurt and the crease from his eyebrows convinced Ruby that he very much disliked Mercury and Emerald. Blake nodded in agreement as she laid a hand on his shoulder, feeling his anger in her own ways. Ruby half wanted to tell them that Mercury and Emerald were just kids with bad childhoods, mistreated like they were, but Ruby was on the same side as them. She also got Emeralds threatening glares and Mercurys insulting smile. 

“I didn’t believe them at first, but that was because they are thinking Adam isn’t being honest either, but.. I see what they mean” Blake for one _did_ sound hurt.

“Adam?” Ruby questioned, “Isn’t he? Aren’t you-? Er, dating?” 

Ilia giggled, “You say that like it's a secret between kids!”

“W-well! If I were in, um, a relationship with someone in that position, I’d keep it a secret”

Blakes ears drooped. “You think I need to keep it a secret?”

“No! That's just my feelings! I’m honestly scared of that guy!” Ruby clarified quickly,relieved when Blake's ears raised up again. 

“He does hate Roman, I see why you’re intimidated.”

“Yeah,” Ruby rubbed her hands together before getting back on topic, “Cinder isn’t scared of him.”

“We know she isn't” Ilia spoke up, a hard look in her eyes, “She isn’t scared of anyone on this base, which means she knows a lot. We were wondering how one woman knew so much-”

“So, when we followed her, we caught a conversation between her and her ‘overlord’” Sun cringed as he repeated what he’d heard Cinder say, “but she didn’t seem to be serious about it”

“About what?”

“Calling her overlord, and… from what I gathered, she kind of dissagreed with whoever she was calling.”

Ruby nodded, “She doesn't like it when Roman suggests for her to slow down or to change plans, maybe this person she was calling was telling her to stop?”

“So,” Blake thought aloud, “whoever was on the scroll, they were who issued the plan to take a break.” 

Ruby zoned out at those words. 

What was being planned? The only logical reason, as she heard from Roman, to slow their operations was to go onto the next step. They were also under the heat of the media, Ruby was ordered to stay on base because of it. She couldn’t even join Mercury, as she sometimes would, on shipment runs from the White Fang’s base to theirs. It was Ruby’s only real time other than missions outside of the base, the only way Ruby could be reassured that life was still going on without her. Day after day training had taken its toll on Ruby, so she was assigned to go with the grey haired boy, but even that small ounce of freedom was now taken. 

(Not that she’d miss it terribly- she was only able to sit and watch. Mercury did all the heavy lifting and Gods know how he hates small talk. It seemed the only times he did talk was to insult either her or Emerald. Or Brag.

Or yell about his missing leg screws)

The news had been heavy on them ever since they attacked the Schnee Dust Company ship. They’d apparently stolen twice as much as they had in all their past heights, which did and didn’t surprise Ruby. Her team had watched the ship for a week to make sure it hadn’t been a trap and got on the inside to see which shipment would have the most dust and on which night. It wasn't a trap, of course, but the metal guards were surprising enough to _feel_ like a trap. There had been so many Atlas soldiers, so much precaution, to stop the shipment from being targeted but they still stripped the ship for all its worth. 

Cinder had _praised_ her for that, and Ruby needed to grit her teeth while she smiled through it. 

“Yeah! It’s almost like we’re hiding” Sun stated when Ruby started listening again.

“What’s Adam’s opinion on slowing down, Blake?” Ilia asked. The way Blake sighed after made Ruby want to reassure her but instead took to giving her a pity nod. 

Apparently nodding was Ruby’s first step to getting used to being social again. 

“He’s, well, he’s Adam!” She frowned and crossed her arms, “he hates opening up and he’s not.. really… talking.”

“He’s ignoring you?” Sun asked, his dark tone back. 

“Not exactly, he’s just, not talking about it. I’ll ask, but he just grunts and tells me that he's ‘still thinking about it’. He really doesn’t like being held back from getting more Dust for our other bases that aren’t as connected to a source like we’ve been” 

“But, we’ve been flying crates out to them, haven’t we?” Ruby asked as the wind started to pick up from above them, “isn’t it enough?”

“It’s never enough when our leader thinks getting equal rights takes bullets.” Ilia spat, ignoring how Blake frowned.

There was a beat of silence and they all stood, the breeze rushing past them. The roof was completely metal, and from their spot, they could look out to the surrounding buildings that lined the coast. Ruby didn’t have a view of the water but on her side, she could see the sun rise. And, now that she knew how close her window was to the roof, she could watch the sun go down as well once her leg was better. 

“I’m glad we’re following him too.” Sun gently announced.

Ruby tensed at that.

“Er, about that…”

They turned to her, Ilia tilting her head in wait of her question. 

“Could I, like, not follow him..? I only ask since, well, h-he could just turn and look in my direction if I’m not careful enough! A-and, I’m not familiar with your guys' side of the base.” 

She didn’t want to come off as a coward, she could face him if it was necessary, but if they messed up and it was her fault, she’d probably be killed. Not just her either, maybe her friends. Following Cinder might also get Ruby some information she was still blanking on, even her Uncle didn’t know where her real person of interest was. 

Sun held back his laughter behind his hand as Ilia smiled gently, walking next to Ruby to pat her shoulder. 

“Don’t worry- you and Blake can focus on Tourchwick and Cinder, me and Sun aren’t biased towards Adam”

Blakes ears flattened again, “You say that like I’d let him off the hook if I ever caught him lying.”

Ilia and Sun shared a quick look before the brunette shrugged, “We know that, but Blake- you let him off the hook for keeping you from joining us on the heights _and_ for taking your dad's place- we just want-”

“I know,” Blake interrupted through grit teeth, “but he’s doing those things to get the job done. At least, that’s how everyone else sees it. I mean, that's how I see it too, but… once you two said he was being dishonest, I’ve caught him in a few lies since then. It’s almost like he has a different agenda than Sienna”

Ruby frowned, watching the way Blakes yellow eyes stayed on the roof instead of looking them in the eyes. Ruby felt for her, if someone accused Yang of horrible things, she’d defend her- even if they were true. Blake was just struggling to accept them. She was glad that Blake was still letting them follow her companion instead of outing them to the whole community, which again, would result in her blood being spilt. Ruby of course knew that Sun and Ilia were right if they were even just suspecting him; they were very perceptive, although being criminals themselves. In the long run, was it worth it? Robbing dust shops and killing to get their point across? 

From Blakes face, Ruby assumed that subconsciously, the Faunus girl knew that Adam wasn’t right.

She patted Ilias hand, thankful she wouldn’t need to follow Adam, then walked up to Blake who was still looking down. Ruby gently grabbed Blakes hands which led her yellow orbs to her own and let them see her smile. 

“Blake, sometimes, getting the job done isn’t all that matters. You matter too, you know? We’re all in this _together-_ your side of it is just as important.” 

Blake froze momentarily, processing the girl's words. Just a few days ago, she had never even talked to her before, but, here she was giving her a pep talk. A pep talk that was the most reassuring thing she’s been told all week since Adam had suddenly shut himself in his tent- room. She felt a bubble growing in her throat, but she squoze Ruby’s hand and swallowed her tears down. She hated crying- she certainly wouldn’t do it in front of them while on a _rooftop_. 

“You know- I can’t ever remember Adam asking for my opinion,” Blake started to explain sadly, “or what _I_ wanted out of it. He’s only a strong leader because he takes charge, but he doesn’t have trust in his team like you do, Re-Ruby.”

They stared at each other for a few more beats before Sun let out a short laugh.

“That's kind of a good Idea, Blake!”

“...what’s a good idea?” 

“A revolt!”

________________

Sun's plan for a revolt seemed very outlandish at first, especially because they were already following Cinder and Adam, but Ilia backed him up. If they told enough members about Cinder and Adam, the longer they waited the more people would be on their side. Waiting to strike. They’d follow Cinder and Adam, get information, and when the time was right, they could take back leadership and give it to the rightful one. Righteous since the beginning. 

Now all the three needed to do was actually convince her to take the lead. 

“I am not the right person to take the White Fange back!” Blake argued. The four had gotten down from the warehouse's roof top and were now silently (or so they thought) discussing the topic of what would happen after they took it all back. 

“We’re gonna need a new leader!” Sun replied, keeping up with Blakes speed. “Your the daughter of the old leader! Its a good idea, Blake.”

“Except it isn’t! I’m nothing like my dad! I ran away from him because my past scared me- even my future scared me when I lived at home. You can’t put me on the spot like this.” Blakes eyebrows pinched together, her past stress settling in her stomach like it would at the worst of moments. 

“We aren’t-”

“ _Wait up guys!”_ Ilia yelled from down the hall. Blake stopped short, letting Sun bump into her to stop. She glared silently, hoping she’d catch on and to not talk while Ilia and Ruby caught up. “You guys forget our leader is cripple?”

“Hey, um, why’d I get title of leader?” Ruby asked in between breaths, “Also, I’m not cripple, I just need to not walk. Difference! If you don’t want to help me by all means you should have left me in my room.” She frowned at Ilia.

She’d told Blake that too. She was scared of being a burden, they didn’t even need her for their plan to take place. She hated the feeling of being useless, that's why she trained every day. That was half the reason why she joined Cinder. To sum up; she didn’t want to hold them back in the slightest. 

She caught Blake's pity stare and she let go of Ilias supportive arm, burying her hands in her sister's yellow jacket (ever since Sun commented on it, she’d been wearing it more periodically. She didn’t go on any missions- why dress in her combat skirt?) trying to get the negativity out of her grip

“Seriously, I should stay in my room.”

“We need your help, _Captain_ ,” Sun threw in his nickname, “I’ll carry you back when we’re done getting Blake out of her crabby attitude.”

All three stared at Sun. 

“Crabby attitude?” Blake asked.

Sun shrugged with a small smile, “I didn’t know what else to call it. Point is,” Sun pointed at Ruby, “you’re important and you aren’t slowing us down,” he looked to Ilia and mumbled, “sort of.” Sun then pointed to Blake, “And we need you to be back in bad-ass mode!”

Another moment of staring. 

“Bad-ass mode? What-”

“Don’t question my technique!” Sun exclaimed, drawing a smile from Ilia and Ruby, “I’m a professional at this stuff, okay? Blake, out of all three of us, you're the most involved out of anyone. You're the most angry out of all of us, too.”

Ruby tilted her head, “Angry?”

Ilia stiffened and Sun frowned. The two had seen her anger before, especially when she fought back on the idea of Adam being a traitor. He was who she’d been trusting most for the past year. _Years._ Adam had his hands over Blakes eyes and was telling her what to do. Sun wanted to rip that apart and show Blake just how blind she was, how blind _he_ was too. She’d spat on Sun that night (he was used to it), told him to leave, but Ilia begged for Blake to consider them and to take a look at Adam (she finally saw past his hands). 

Blake was angry. The two things she believed in and loved for were being screwed over; Adam was lying and the White Fang had been steered down a path of mutiny. 

“It’s not easy when you’re pushed back all your life and the one thing that’s fighting against that racism turns out to be just as horrible.” Ilia spoke softly. When people passed them, she paused, looking only at Sun. When they turned the corner, she sighed. “Blake, he’s right. If anyone should push us back to the peaceful people the White Fange once were, it's you.”

“But,” Blake said through gritted teeth, “what if I turn out just as bad as Adam? What if I just end up running from all these people who came to fight? I can’t bare to fail anyone else-”

Ruby stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder, just as she did with Blakes hand on the roof. Sun could see through Blake and read her, a skill that could take months to grow, but comfort was something Ruby felt came easy to her. She looked to Blake, then to the other two and back to the dark haired faunus. 

“We’re here. That's what's different between you and Adam and who you once were. You can’t run when three or more people are holding you here.”

“Three or more?” Blake asked.

“Well, I’m pretty sure if he had too, Sun would bust out his semblance copies and hold you back,” Ruby nodded to Sun who was nodding.

“Of course! We’re here Blake, and we’ve got your back. We’re in this just as deep as you with this plan.”

“Yeah,” Ilia added on and took a step closer to them, “you’re stronger than you think. Stronger than Adam.”

Blake scoffed but couldn't keep the smile off her face. “With his semblance, I don’t think I could take him out.”

Sun rolled his eyes. “He’s basically _asking_ to get his ass kicked with a semblance like that! You’re way better than him. We could just take his sword and-” 

Sun stopped as more people started to flood the small hall, and one glance at the clock, he knew that the hour for dinner must’ve just finished. He sighed and lost his intense glare but lowered his voice to continue. 

“Seriously. Your semblance could top him with the right timing and strategies. You’re the perfect leader.”

Ruby patted Blakes shoulder. She knew Sun and Ilia knew Blake way better than she did at any moment in the day, and now that the moment concluded with Blakes nod, she wanted them to take the lead. _She_ sure couldn’t. Her burn reduced her to a limping toddler. Besides, that wasn’t just it, right? ‘Break the glass’ had just become two times harder; they were going to start a revolt against the people who’d pulled the carpet out from underneath countless dust companies- there was loads more to plan and discuss. 

Her thoughts had started to spin and she chewed her thumb nail quietly. Blake was unsure of what to do, they all were really, but this plan gave them something to fight for. _What now,_ Ruby thought _, where’s the next step?_ Sun was way ahead of her, thankfully. He took Blakes hand and started to pull her to where they served all the dinners. 

“M’kay guys! I’ll bring you girls food- go back to Ruby’s room and clean so we can all eat!”

“Hey! _Dufface_!” Ilia scolded as he pulled Blake away with him, “you said you'd carry her back!” 

“Huh? Can’t hear ya sorry!” Sun shouted back over the crowd of Faunus (who had started to stare at Sun’s comedic jumping and waving).

Blake shrugged and gave an apologetic smile to Ilia who was fuming at that point. For the first time since Ruby’s known her, Blake let out a laugh at Sun's antics. Ruby smiled and dropped her hand, feeling the other girls laugh and Ilias playful (or not so playful) threats reach deep into her. She felt whole, standing in that hallway. Her injury didn’t sting, her heart didn’t ache, and her hatred had dulled. Her rough edges were softer, even if for just a second. Her three friends were what she really needed, no one had ever pulled her up from her grief as quickly as they did, and for a moment Ruby forgot why she was there in the first place. 

She wanted to forget forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse and comment any mistakes you found! I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit on the rough side, I tried making this a filler/forward the plot for Ruby's team and their plans? Till next time <3 (another character introduced in next chap, yay)


	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang gets to see a different Side of Weiss and vice versa.

To Yang, teaming up had been the one good idea she’d had in the past  _ week _ . Well, maybe when she was questioned by an officer and she played it off by convincing him that Yang herself was also a law enforcer was the best idea she’d had- but becoming buddies with a Schnee was close second. There were a couple benefits of their agreement (she used that word lightly. Yang wasn’t a leech; she didn’t want to come off as one either).

Firstly; _ boy did the girl have money _ .

Yang had become accustomed to being that person who slept along the building's cold walls, hiding in their shadows. Admitting she had nowhere else to go and sleeping at the community shelter for a night or two. Yang was used to the looks thrown at her from people walking by or even the others that would stay in a shelter. Don’t get her wrong,she had a place to stay back in Patch but facing her dad again scared her. Hell, a lot had scared her recently, but Yang was not about to back down. The picture of Ruby felt like a weight in her pocket constantly, and it drove her to move. 

Though, in the moment, nothing scared her more than the way her boots had left a perfect trail from the entrance to where she stood on the apartment's carpet. 

“Have you ever stayed in a place as nice as this?” Weiss asked boldly from behind Yang, probably with a hand on her hip. “You take your shoes off  _ then _ walk inside like you own the place. Actually,  _ I _ own the place, you should’ve come in second.” 

Yang shrugged as she eyed the walls, “I was a little distracted, sorry snowflake.”

“Pray tell, what's so distracting about a second rate hotel room?”

Second perk; _ Weiss was as oblivious as they came.  _

If she wasn’t oblivious then she sure as hell didn’t care about anyone else's problems. Again, Yang was not a leech, but not having to Weiss why she was so bad at manners was a relief she couldn’t explain. She’d get annoyed as soon as a stranger would bug her about the way she was acting, when in reality, the moments she’d be talking to them in the first place would be because she needed to. Not willingly. Going into the medical center for a few broken fingers (or hand) was something she’d rather go on without explaining. The nurses would just give her those wide eyed looks. Yeah, Yang was used to the glares, but up close and personal was a different level completely. She didn't want to blow up at Weiss, especially on the… first night.

“Also, not to be rude Yang, but you look like a cat that's walked into a room full of beowolves.” Weisses voice was gentle, which she shouldn’t be. She was right.

The moment her new partner read the hotel's glowing sign, she became tense. A totally different stature form the flirty woman back at the bar. Without the night's vale of darkness between them or the club's dim flashing lights, Weiss could see Yangs expressions fully (her lilac eyes were even more captivating in the light) and the way her hair was in knots. Literally. The ends had some rough spots, and to Weisses displeasure, it looked natural on Yang. 

Weiss thought about what she said. 

“I guess you haven’t stayed in a place like this, have you?” She tried saying, apologetically. “Want me to open a window?”

“I”m not an animal- i don’t feel trapped enough that you need to open an escape hatch,” Yang turned back to Weiss with an unsure expression, “I just… feel bad for staining your carpet.”

Weiss stared at Yang, blinking.  _ Was.. that a cover up?  _

Weiss didn’t reply, moving to open the kitchen window (and ignored Yang's groan). It was almost painful how obvious Yang was, but Weiss wasn’t one to pry (to much) on the first night of meeting someone. Plus, they were partners now, Weiss wanted her to listen to her. Why ruin that obedience early on? If Yang had secrets to keep then it wasn’t her place to interfere with her opinions. But, though she wouldn’t admit it when asked, she wanted some sort of trust from Yang. She’d like having someone to talk to other than her escort. 

“Don’t mind the carpet, really. Just avoid propping your feet on the table or anything, really,” Weiss gestured to the couches that faced each other, “it’s late. To late to switch to a room with a third bed, so I think if you want to rest the couch would be best. Would you-”

“So- wait-  _ third bed?  _ You already have a second bed here?” Yag interrupted, searching the room for even the first bed. She already had seen the couches, or what was the mock living area, then past Weiss was a counter then cupboards for the mock kitchen. A balcony to the righ of the kitchen. The walk in to the left. A work table against the wall. Bed? Nowhere Yang could see. 

“Yes, I’m not alone on my job, Yang. My sister assigned a sort of, well… legal bodyguard?” 

It was Yangs turn to stare at Weiss. 

“Legal bodyguard? Seriously? Just say babysitter-”

“We are the same age! I doubt you need a babysitter! I for one do not. He’s an  _ escort  _ and good company. My sister is in the Atlesian military, she pulled strings and now there's a grown man stuck with the teenager. I'm a Schnee! People think I can’t walk down a flight of stairs without supervision.” Weiss rambled, slipping her shoes off in the process. 

She took her blazer off as well, her apartment being the only place she felt like she didn't need to uphold the Schnee manners. And, admittingly, in front of Yang she assumed she wouldn’t care. She had a belly button piercing; she was carefree, right? Maybe a little ditsy too, if her flirting was her personality.

Weiss hoped it wasn’t.

Yang nodded, watching as Weiss left her shoes near the walk in and made note to do the same with her boots. The blond had taken her cycle's bag up with them, knowing not to leave it with her bike parked outfront, so she dropped that on the floor next to her mock bed (the whitest couch she’d ever seen, by the way) then moved towards the walk in to lose her shoes. She left more dirt prints in the carpet that made her stomach twist in embarrassment. 

“Is.. your 'escort' here?” She teased, trying to distract herself.

“Hmm? Oh- no, I think he’s out looking for me. That room,” Weiss pointed past Yang and back into the mock living room and at a grey door, “is his. Mines through the door on the wall to the right of it. We got a room without a pullout bed too, so… sorry.”

Yang scoffed, “You just met me, sweetheart, don’t apologize. I’m the intruder anyways.”

Wiess considered her words. Intruder? Maybe. She was a random woman from a ‘crack den’ of a bar, but her eyes held some sort of fire Weiss couldn’t pinpoint. She didn’t want to, either, the mystery of it was intriguing. Weiss never had surprises. Well, maybe a few along her timeline of memorable events, but none of those surprises were happy ones. She didn’t want to pry either. She was hoping Yang would be different. She hoped she’d be as vibrant as her hair. The tattoo was a shock, obvious from her staring at it any chance it peeked out from her sleeve. She’d only ever see tattoos on men, and just like the piercings, Weiss never came close to considering getting one. 

Weiss strolled over and sat at the kitchen counter then watched as said girl, after taking her shoes off, dusted her pants off. She was still tense. 

"Do you need anything? Cloths? Do you…" Weiss gestured to her hair, “Want to shower?”

Yang tilted her head before she got the message. "Oh, my hair? Ha, I guess it has gotten pretty messy." Her fingers played with the ends. She pulled hair back with her bandana as soon as she took her helmet off and had forgotten how bad it was. Forgotten how long it had been since she was able to shower (not long enough to smell, but long enough for her hair to tie together). It was very tangled. 

"Before all this, I would have exploded if the smallest hair fell out. I worked pretty hard on it too."

"Why not at least brush it out?"

Yang sighed. She pulled out her own stool and sat next to Weiss then shrugged. 

"I'm just focusing on other things. Between having my helmet on half the day or showering occasionally, I gave up. I didn't even realize I stopped actually," Yang chuckled nervously, "it wasn't until my Uncle found me and pointed it out that I started pulling it back."

Weiss sat up. "’It wasn’t until my uncle found me’..? That sort of makes you seem like a runaway or something. You  _ did  _ mention you were a criminal- is that why?"

The blond snorted.

“No no, I'm a criminal for a whole different reason-” Yang stopped once she saw Weisses glare. She swallowed before continuing, “I just mean, he’d been looking for me. He cares about his nieces safety, like any family man would.” 

Weiss stared at the way she smiled. It was so genuine, it hurt. Talking about her family made Yang’s posture relax and loosen up like how she looked at the club. The only time anyone in her family went looking for her was when she tried leaving Atlas. The Schnee sat for a second, struggling to find the next words to say.

“Is he looking for Rose-”

A deep cough cut Weisses' question short and the two girls whipped around to the entrance to find a tall brunette standing in the walk in, a hand on his hip and an unamused expression on his face. Yang felt the need to run and was momentarily grateful Weiss  _ actually  _ opened the window. Weiss cringed.

“Clover!” Weiss tried a smile. “There you are.”

“Here I am? What about you? Weiss, I thought you kept your scroll on you at all times.” The brunette took a few steps towards them then looked Yang up and down, but his eyes landed on Weiss again. 

“I  _ do  _ keep my scroll on me. I knew you were going to track it- I’m actually surprised I was able to block the signal. Sorry you were gone looking for me for,” she looked at the clock and cringed again, “four hours.”

Yang looked at Weiss too and raised an eyebrow. The girl played with the hem of her dress but kept eye contact with who Yang assumed was her bodyguard. Clover, as he was so ironically named, because those were the brightest green she’d ever think eyes could be. Weiss was at the bar for four hours? Yang wouldn't even wish her worst enemies to be there for that long (though, she guesses in a way her worst enemies already worked there. Those twins she wanted to punch). Junior was a menace and made for the worst company ever, and that’s saying something since she’s been on road trips with her dad. 

“You know I had to let your sister know, right?” Clover crossed his arms like a scolding parent, “It was protocol. This is the fifth time I’ve lost track of you-”

“What? Five times? You’ve reported me to Winter _five_ _times_?” Weiss stood. She mirrored him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Yang, having nothing better to do in the moment, stood and crossed her arms too. 

“Firstly, no, I swept the first four times under the rug. Today was the first day I actually reported to her. Lucky you.” Clover locked eyes with Yang. “Second- who’s our guest?”

“This is Yang Xiao Long,” Weiss turned and Yang dropped her arms, “she is my new business partner. She’s going after Rose just like I am, but she’s more of a bounty hunter.”

Yang and Clover scoffed at the same time. 

“I’ve dealt with bounty hunters before, miss Schnee, I don’t think you’d like their type as  _ business partners.  _ They do dirty jobs for money.” Clover frowned. 

Yang scowled back. “I’m not going after a teenage girl for money!” 

“Sorry Yang, I just… what are you then? If not for money? You didn’t say your connection to her.” Weiss asked, placing herself between Clover and Yang before something started. Weiss remembered the photo of Red that Yang had with her.. It was old and rough around the edges. If the girl had carried it with her for some time, then whar was their connection? 

So much for keeping the first night casual.

“Oh, that’s right. Well,” Yang paused. 

She knows her and her sister looked nothing alike despite having the same dad. She was the spitting image of her mom but with her father's hair. Ruby, as Yang remembered, looked just like Summer. Question is; did she want Weiss knowing she was related to the ‘bandit’ that was mugging every dust shop that sold dust? AKA all of them. 

_ Shit.  _

How was she even going to get Ruby out of trouble once she could finally pin her down? Weiss was from Atlas, when they sent one of their own out to get someone, it probably wasn’t good. And, when she did get Ruby, who was to say the group of bastards she was with wouldn’t come looking for her? Maybe this was the ‘mess of trouble’ her uncle warned her about weeks before. Yang’s dad was a retired hunter, sure, but he might put the law before his daughters. How could he not? Ruby had killed innocent people. Yang twitched. 

“Yang?” 

The blonde looked back up, snapping out of her spiral. 

“Oh, sorry. She’s…” Yang thought for one more moment before the image of silver eyes flashed in her head. Warm, loving eyes. The whole reason she was out to protect Ruby in the first place. Yang finally nodded to Clover. 

“I’m sort of like you. A bodyguard. I know someone who wants to keep her safe… they aren’t around anymore, so I think its down to me to keep her out of harm's way.”

“You’ve done a  _ splendid _ job so far.”

Weiss turned and glared at Clover's remark. “Are  _ you _ doing any better? I was gone for four hours! What has gotten into you?” 

Clover took a step back, taking a deep breath before he finally looked back to Yang. 

“Okay okay. I apologize miss Xiao Long. I ran into a concerning individual before coming up and… I’m just relieved Weiss hadn’t run into them first.” 

Both Weiss and Yang dropped their defensive demeanors and traded looks.  _ That  _ was concerning. Yangs first thought was Junior and his stupid-as-hell henchmen. Did they follow her? Was it the people that she thought had been tailing her? Yang’s paranoia from the past weeks shot back up to 100. She’d only theorized she was being tracked, but Clovers words made the storm inside her head start again. They’d come into the Hotel? They were that close?

“What do you mean?” Weiss asked.

Clover sighed. “I thought I spotted someone on our list to watch out for, but when I followed them, they just shot at me and- well…” he rubbed his neck and looked down. 

Weiss raised her eyebrows. “Well?”

“...I swore I had them cornered, but they disappeared.”

“Splendid job.” Yang mocked after Weiss didn’t reply, earning herself another sharp look from Clover. She took her seat on the stool again before Weiss could scold her. 

“Do we need to switch rooms? Hotels?” Weiss questioned Clover. 

Weiss watched as the Ace Operative of her home kingdom shrugged. She couldn’t blame him for having a sour attitude whenever he did, which was rarely and that was why Weiss scolded him. When something irked her escort, his attitude and overall composure would shift negatively. She was glad that Clover had been the one with the task of watching her, though she argued with Winter that the leader of the Ace Operatives shouldn’t be the one to leave. 

_ He’s the one I have the most trust in, Weiss,  _ was her sister’s one and final answer. Weiss was happy at that moment, smiling once Winter turned away. It showed Winter cared. 

“I’m sure they won’t come in here if that's what you’re afraid of.” Clover stated as he took his boots off then walked into the mock living room to sit down. “He ran the second he saw me coming up to him.”

“That makes me… well, the fact they were stalking us in the first place has me unsettled but at least they ran like a coward.”

Clover chuckled, “I’m just glad they ran. I don’t want to fight anyone while we’re away from Atlas- it wouldn’t look good for either of us, miss Schnee. Besides- you’ve never been in a real fight. You could get hurt.”

Weiss pressed her lips together in annoyance and Yang could see what she meant when she claimed someone was always watching her. Weiss had no freedom, though, Yang was sure her escort meant no harm. 

“I’m quite positive we’d be able to handle ourselves if it came to it too,” Weiss reassured Clover after a beat of silence then looked towards Yang, “I’m sure you have some weapons with you, right?”

Yang nodded towards her satchel that laid on the carpet, “I have my gauntlets in there and I have some knuckle braces… somewhere on me.” she admitted, her cheeks dusting with the smallest hint of red. Weiss giggled. 

“You know how to fight, then?”

She nodded once more. 

“I almost went to school to become a huntress- I was even number one in the training prefectures for one-on-one combat in my home city.” Yang bragged with a smirk. It was true, and she would have kept going to, but the judges marked her down as ‘violent’. Whatever. 

“And you didn’t go because?” Clover asked, a slight raise of his eyebrows. He looked from Yang to Weiss then leaned forward from his position on the couch. “How’d you two meet anyways? Where were you Weiss?”

“Um, just, you know…” Weiss started, but looked to Yang for help.

“She was looking for a new lead on Rose, coming to the local info broker. I happen to know him and was hanging around until I was pointed in her direction. Embarrassingly enough, snowflake here had more answers than I did when we got to talking… That's why-!” Yang tossed her arm around Weiss from her seat on the stool, “We partnered up!”

Weiss blushed a bit but nodded, agreeing with Yang’s story. It wasn’t a lie and it was better than being at a bar. Clover might’ve reported her missing to Winter, but if he knew she was at a club? She’d rather not risk that. 

“It’s late, you know.”

“About that,” Weiss straightened up, “Yang will be staying with us. She doesn’t need a bed, the couch is suitable I think. Maybe a shower…” she finished by inching away from said girl, who did in fact smell. 

“My hair isn’t that bad-!”

“It's a hazard to my health!” Weiss complained. 

Yang clenched her hands into fists.  _ This  _ was half the reason she’d gotten so paranoid so fast, why Weiss said she looked similar to a spooked cat. She might as well have a damn tail because yes, Yang was nervous. Being thrown into a ring with to higher-ups form Atlas, she was sure anyone would feel the pressure she felt right then. She’d already made a mess of the carpet and she was half 100% honest to Weiss when she mentioned she felt bad about it. She felt more than bad. 

“Sorry I’m so disgusting compared to you,  _ princess _ !” Yang shot. 

Clover quickly stood up, “Okay okay, sorry I asked. It seems we’re all just…” he looked around the room, as if it would give him the right words. “We’re all just tired. I say we leave it at that, okay?”

“Fine, I agree. Yang,” Weiss folded her arms once more and looked Yang up and down, “I didn;t mean anything truly insulting by the comment about your hair. I just thought, maybe you’d like to relax. Trust me when I say I know what doubt looks like- being in a new kingdom and dealing with all these new people… it scared me. I had that look you have now.” 

Weisses apology eased Yang and let her tense muscles relax some. She nodded then glanced at Clover as he moved towards the mock kitchen. “

Have the couch, I get the feeling you’d find it more welcoming sleeping next to an open window rather than a room you’re unfamiliar with.” Clover gentured to where he’d been sitting, agreeing with Weiss. “I’m glad to have you with us if we’re all on the same side. You girls get comfortable, I’ll be turning in for now.”

“Thank you Clover.” Weiss smiled.

“Oh, last thing miss Schnee,” He stopped before entering his room, “what you usually do when you have a girl over, you don’t fight them about their hair-”

“That’s not what i was suggesting!” she bristled at his comment. He left with that, his chuckling still being heard through the door and Yang smiled. 

“He’s, er, different.” Yang commented. “He’s just as blunt as you are. That an Atlas thing?” 

“Atlasians get straight to the point, we aren’t clueless like the rest of Remnant.”

“Clueless? Last I checked, you didn’t know that Junior’s club was the Oasis for starving tweekers.”

“Does it really put you above me, knowing that information? I thank Gods I don’t know the local dives. In fact, I think you’re just proving my point.”

Yang scoffed and turned to grab her bag. “Just show me to the bathroom, I’ll wash my hair like you want, princess. Just promise me you wont keep degrading my kingdom, sheesh, I liked you better when you were drinking.” 

“Ditto!” Weiss spat once she stopped in front of a white framed door. “There's towels underneath the sink. “I’ll be in my room. If you think I’m better off drunk you’re sorely mistaken. I’d rather die than end up like my mother, confused and desperate.” 

Yang stopped at that. She’d hit a nerve, more like tripped on it. She stood for a moment, her satchel in her hand. She hadn’t meant to get Weiss worked up like that, her attitude change from the bar was just surprising. Being in a fancy establishment threw her off, too. Maybe being out of contact with people for months on end had taken its toll on Yang. 

Weiss looked up when Yang didn’t go into the restroom. 

“What?”

“It’s just… I know what it’s like.”

“You know what what's like?” Weiss tilted her head. 

Yang frowned and shuffled her weight to her other foot. “Having a problematic mom. Or- I don’t, really, since she took off when I was a baby. I know how it is having a relative drink all the time, though, it sounds like my uncle is more fun about it. I think.”

The two girls basked in the apartment's noise as Weiss prossed her words. It did hurt a little, having Yang comment about Weisses drinking from earlier. She had never even finished the drink Yang ordered for the two of them, though. Only Yang had. Weiss didn’t want to be interpreted as a drinker, her own father used it as a weapon constantly towards her mother. More often than not, Weiss actually frowned upon alcohol. Today had just been dead end after dead end. 

“Goodnight, Yang.” Weiss decided on walking away rather than addressing the way the air between then had become awkward. “Knock if you need anything.”

Last benefit to Weiss; she knew when to stop. Something Yang has been told many times to do, but watching Weisses smile drop from her face as she turned to leave reminded Yang of who Ruby could turn into. 

Someone who’s family abandoned them. 

  
Yang frowned. She could also be someone  _ Yang  _ could’ve been. No one to turn to. No one to watch over her. Her grip tightened around the towel in her hands, ignoring the burn it caused her joints. She wouldn’t let that happen. Not if she could help it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. I have the next chapter already done, and just wanted to let anyone who cares know I might go on a smaller break again. I got another writing assignment and I put all my focus into those! Thanks so much for everyone who's read thus far <333 love you all


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